The Holy Family Parish Center at 588 W. Gay Street, one of two possible locations the mobile trailer may arrive at each Tuesday. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
On Christmas Day, a woman walked up to Allen Bilins asking for any clothes or supplies to help her while she was on her period. Bilins gathered warm clothes and welcomed the lady to a large box of donated feminine products.
After a 30-minute shower, Bilins said the woman was refreshed and rejuvenated.
“She was a different person when she came out. It still brings tears to my eyes,” Bilins said.
Bilins opened Tent City Showers last fall, a nonprofit that provides weekly showers and resources to unhoused people in a mobile trailer.
“I had a little landscape company, and our old equipment storage trailer was empty because we moved to a better location,” Bilins said. “I noticed the need for showers and prayed about it, and Jesus was like, ‘Let’s build some showers,’ so my right hand man and I started building this thing.”
In addition to showers, everyone is given a t-shirt, sweatshirt, pair of underwear, sweatpants and a couple of pairs of socks. Bilins said the company also provides all-you-can-eat hotdogs.
“We have so many people, churches, and organizations that want to donate hotdogs,” Bilins said. “It’s really incredible to see somebody sit down and eat 12 hotdogs and they’re just stuffed.”
With the ability to perform 25 showers per day, according to Bilins, the mobile trailer goes to one of two locations every Tuesday: Jordan’s Crossing Resource Center, which serves low-income families, as well as individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction, at 342 N. Hague Ave., or behind the Holy Family Soup Kitchen at 588 W. Gay St.
Bilins said that Tent City Showers have faced very little problems so far. Though fully supported by donations and fundraising, Bilins said that the community has been incredibly generous.
“I personally funded building this thing,” Bilins said. “Then once we started running, I funded it for maybe the first month, and then after that it’s been 100% private donations.”?
He said that there has been no shortage of donations, whether money, food or clothes.?
“I think it’s so successful because it’s God’s vision. He saw the need, he provided what needed to be done, and so it’s a no-brainer,” Bilins said. “Then as far as more worldly work, we try to be consistent every Tuesday so people can expect us.”?
Bilins also said that he posts donation links on its Facebook page, and people are quick to donate.??
James Copley’s role with the program is to keep things running. He said that Bilins refers to him as the engineer, and every Monday, he goes out and makes sure everything is working properly before the weekly service.?
Bilins and Copley each have full-time jobs, but prioritize Tent City Showers on Tuesdays.
“So, I own my own business. I am a mobile mechanic,” Copley said. “Usually on Mondays, I will make sure I schedule where I’m done early so that anything that needs to be taken care of for Tuesday can be taken care of, and then the rest of the week I’m working like normal.”
Though Tent City began in the fall, it has already become a constant in the community and Bilins and Copley are not ready to stop.
“Really, I’d love to see us with a better setup, so that we can almost be able to just pull it out on Tuesdays and go not having to worry about me going over, making sure everything’s working in the morning, be able to just get up and go,” Copley said.?
Currently, Tent City can provide 25 showers a day but when it’s warm, people will wait all day to partake in the service. Bilins said the company bought a full size school bus to add eight showers and a kitchen, and is buying a smaller bus to store clothes. He said he hopes to have a trailer to install two inflatable hot tubs to provide another source of comfort.
Tent City Showers is accepting donations and looking for a few more Tuesday volunteers. More information can be found on its Facebook page.
