Despite the fact that the United States is one of the most developed countries in the world, homelessness is still a major issue here. After seeing this, one couple from Hawaii decided to take action to help those living on the streets feel “normal” again.”
Craig Shoji and his wife Danica are the founders of the nonprofit organization Revive + Refresh, which provides a mobile hygiene center for the homeless community on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Through this initiative, Craig and Danica have provided showers for more than 250 people.
The couple came up with the idea for this mobile shower service after visiting an underprivileged community in San Francisco. Once they got back to Hawaii, they started going to underprivileged areas of their community to meet the homeless.
“I was walking down the street and there was a houseless individual there,” Craig recalled. “I just told him, ‘Good morning,’ and he was kind of surprised that I said that to him because no one ever says anything to him.”
Craig said that this experience taught him that “it’s important to just treat people like normal people.”
Craig and Danica initially named their nonprofit “Laundry Love,” since it first provided fresh clean clothes to various homeless individuals in the community. Nowadays, the organization has expanded and operates as a mobile trailer with two showers that they even take to events around the capital Honolulu. The motto of “Revive + Refresh” is that “everyone has a story,” which is why Craig and Danica always try to listen to the people they help.
Through the mobile service, each homeless person is given 15 minutes in the trailer and are provided with hot showers, toilet facilities and other bathing essentials such as shower and hand gels. After all of this, they are then given a hot meal. When asked what the best part of the experience of helping the homeless is, Craig replied, “Just to see their faces when they come out, it’s like a different person.”
Revive + Refresh is a local non-profit whose mobile hygiene trailer, built by the city, will be able to serve the homeless community all around the island. If you’d like to learn more about Revive + Refresh, volunteer, or donate to their non-profit, visit https://t.co/z6pZQaDIXK. pic.twitter.com/R35UjeXinw
— Kirk Caldwell (@MayorKirkHNL) January 10, 2019
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