SAN ANTONIO – Pastor Jimmy Robles said a shower is something a lot of people take for granted. But that’s not the case at Last Chance Ministries.
“We have four hours of people waiting to take a shower,” Robles said. “We only give six minutes (to each person in the shower) because of the line.”
Over the last two months, Robles said more than 150 people have taken a shower at the Last Chance Ministries’ Impact Center, which only has one stall. The shower is open every Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Robles said this shows how dire the need for resources is across San Antonio.
The center’s growth comes as the city stops its homeless mobile shower unit. During budget talks, the city said this unit didn’t funnel as many people toward outreach services as hoped. Patrick Steck, the Department of Human Services assistant director, said the mobile unit was bulky and prone to breaking.
“We just had a number of things on it break because it was being transported,” Steck said.
The city’s mobile shower unit was set up at weekly resource hubs at East and West Side churches. Steck confirmed these resource hubs will continue to operate without the shower.
Daily showers are also available at the Christian Assistance Ministry. Haven for Hope also has showers available for clients enrolled in its programs.
“This is not just a shower service,” Dawn White-Fosdick, the president and CEO of CAM, said. “This is meant to be one step forward to getting off the street.”
Robles said the center is considering expansions and even requested that the city revitalize the used mobile shower unit.
“We can utilize it here,” Robles said. “I do pray that the city will release those mobile showers to myself and other pastors.”
Anyone facing homelessness who needs help can call the San Antonio Homeless Connections Hotline at 210-207-1799 for resources.
