From Winter Warmth to Permanent Homes: Church Shower Program Flows Beyond Basic Needs

All Saints Church in Pasadena is demonstrating how a basic hygiene service can become a pathway to permanent housing for unhoused community members.

The church’s comprehensive shower program, operating weekly on Mondays, has successfully placed over 40 individuals in permanent homes while providing thousands of essential services annually. The program currently provides more than 35 hot showers weekly.

“We are pleased that since the program’s start over 40 individuals have been placed in permanent housing. To date this year we have been able to provide 1,384 hot showers, 348 haircuts, 2,594 meals, 280 medical visits, countless vaccinations and more,” said Erica Tamblyn, Chair of Safe Haven.

The program, located at 132 N. Euclid Ave., operates every Monday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., offering a comprehensive suite of services.

Beyond mobile showers, participants can access hot meals from 9:00-10:30 a.m., haircuts between 9:30-11:30 a.m., and various medical services. The Los Angeles County Health Department mobile clinic visits monthly, providing medical and mental health care, HIV testing, and seasonal flu shots.

The Safe Haven Program, operating on the All Saints campus, has become a transitional step for many between street homelessness and permanent housing.

Working in partnership with Union Station Housing Navigator, the program has helped numerous individuals secure stable housing, including recent success stories like one participant who moved into Heritage Square South.

As winter approaches, the program is expanding its focus on cold weather support.

“As winter approaches, we look to keep our participants as warm as possible. We refer them the County shelters which are currently open and look forward to the Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter opening in January,” said Thomas Diaz, Director of Connection and Care.

The initiative’s successes stem from strong community partnerships.

“We want to express our gratitude for the incredible support of the City of Pasadena, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Union Station as well as that of our friends and parishioners who have all been extremely generous,” Tamblyn noted.

Operating as part of The Shower of Hope, the largest mobile shower service in Los Angeles County, the program serves as a crucial community resource hub. The organization’s broader impact is significant, having provided 36,000 showers countywide in 2020 alone.

The program actively seeks community support through specific donations: toiletries and towels, new men’s and women’s underwear and socks, and nonperishable food items. Monetary donations can be made through the Shower of Hope website.