Officials with Aetna Better Health and The Salvation Army gathered on Dec. 12 to cut the ribbon on the Army’s new mobile shower and laundry unit, which will join other non-profits in offering the free hygiene service to the homeless in the area.
Recently, Aetna purchased the CVS Pharmacy company and is wanting to provide more services to Medicare patients as well as indigent care, according to Derek Dugan, development director for The Salvation Army.
“They have generously decided to partner with us, offering $180,000 in funding for us to purchase the mobile facility and maintain it,” Dugan said.
The shower/laundry combo trailers cost between $90,000 and $100,000.
The Salvation Army’s vehicle will mainly travel along with a vehicle owned by Project Refresh, but will be staffed by Salvation Army staff.
“We will generally go where they go, but if we discover new areas of need, we have the staff to cover going to more places and determine our own routes,” Dugan said.
Dugan says the outreach is not just aimed at providing a refreshing shower and the chance to launder clothes but also to introduce homeless people to other services offered by The Salvation Army.
“This is another tool for use to try and get them into the case work system and out of homelessness,” Dugan said.
Another nonprofit, Compass for Hope, also operates a mobile shower facility in the area, and officials with that group say they hope to acquire a laundry unit soon.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
