Thought I might share this super cool movement with you guys!
Company Introduction and Background:
Lava Mae is a not for profit agency that specializes in alleviating homelessness. They specialize in transforming broken down, retired or unused buses into mobile showers for the homeless. The agency relies on public donations and limited funding from the Mayor’s office, from which they transform the buses into shower stalls. These shower stalls are catered to all types of people; there are separate stalls for women, men, the Trans or unidentified, and the disabled. Funding is also used to boy shower products, cleansing material, hygienic and anti-bacterial cleaning products and to maintain a supply of water.
The showers are conducted up to a maximum of 130 times a day due to a water usage liability, six times a week. Only two showers are allowed at a time to maximize privacy of each person using the facilities. The showers have a walk in system or can be accessed through appointments online or through an iPad. The bus is parked on San Francisco’s industrial waterfront when it is not in service. Out of sensitivity for all members of the homeless community, the designers made all-inclusive gender and disability signage very clear on both sides of the bus.
Founded on January 1 2012, Lava Mae was created by former public relations executive, Doniece Sandoval, after witnessing unsanitary and disturbed homelessness in San Francisco. “I got the idea after seeing a filthy homeless women crying and saying she would never be clean. There isn’t a person in this city – whether resident or tourist, who isn’t aware of this crises; there is an overarching number of homeless people in San Francisco and the government isn’t help them out, so I thought, why don’t I just do it,” (sfchronicle).
The agency currently consists of six staff members, of which five are a part of the operations team and we have the CEO. Since its launch in 2012, Lava Mas has gained a plethora of sponsors who donate and promote the company regularly;
Company Introduction and Background:
Lava Mae is a not for profit agency that specializes in alleviating homelessness. They specialize in transforming broken down, retired or unused buses into mobile showers for the homeless. The agency relies on public donations and limited funding from the Mayor’s office, from which they transform the buses into shower stalls. These shower stalls are catered to all types of people; there are separate stalls for women, men, the Trans or unidentified, and the disabled. Funding is also used to boy shower products, cleansing material, hygienic and anti-bacterial cleaning products and to maintain a supply of water.
The showers are conducted up to a maximum of 130 times a day due to a water usage liability, six times a week. Only two showers are allowed at a time to maximize privacy of each person using the facilities. The showers have a walk in system or can be accessed through appointments online or through an iPad. The bus is parked on San Francisco’s industrial waterfront when it is not in service. Out of sensitivity for all members of the homeless community, the designers made all-inclusive gender and disability signage very clear on both sides of the bus.
Founded on January 1 2012, Lava Mae was created by former public relations executive, Doniece Sandoval, after witnessing unsanitary and disturbed homelessness in San Francisco. “I got the idea after seeing a filthy homeless women crying and saying she would never be clean. There isn’t a person in this city – whether resident or tourist, who isn’t aware of this crises; there is an overarching number of homeless people in San Francisco and the government isn’t help them out, so I thought, why don’t I just do it,” (sfchronicle).
The agency currently consists of six staff members, of which five are a part of the operations team and we have the CEO. Since its launch in 2012, Lava Mas has gained a plethora of sponsors who donate and promote the company regularly;
- Google: awarded Lava Mae with $100 000 as per their 2014 Google Impact Challenge
- Kohler: regularly donates water and heat control systems for the buses
- Piano at the California Academy of Sciences: has provided architectural assistance
- AIRCO: provide air filters and anti-bacterial cleansing products
- Continental: donations between $100-$500 every three months
- Etc.
Links:
Lava Mae Commercial/Informational Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9azf8EpZH2k
Lava Mae’s Own Blog: http://lavamae.tumblr.com/
Lava Mae’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgAN57F5AnMMjSoi1RaRBDw
More can be read about Lava Mae on their website: www.lavamae.org and CEO Doniece Sandoval can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doniece
Links:
Lava Mae Commercial/Informational Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9azf8EpZH2k
Lava Mae’s Own Blog: http://lavamae.tumblr.com/
Lava Mae’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgAN57F5AnMMjSoi1RaRBDw
More can be read about Lava Mae on their website: www.lavamae.org and CEO Doniece Sandoval can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doniece