As of January 2017, there were over four thousand homeless persons in the Baltimore City area – within the Washington/Baltimore metro area with the highest rate of homelessness in the nation.

It’s a stressful situation that can happen to almost anyone, for any number of reasons. Mental illness, abuse, drugs, poverty – everyone is struggling with their own issues, but it becomes that much harder to do so without access to even the most basic amenities.

The rotating housing and shelter programs in the city are currently under a lot of strain, trying to maximize the amount of assistance they can give with little to no budget. In many of these places, there is no access to shower facilities or laundering services, and persons spend the night then leave exactly as they came in.

The stress of walking down the street or using public transport while dirty or foul can make a bad situation that much worse, and when one considers the cost of travel and gaining access to facilities, disheartening. For many homeless persons, a bath and clean clothing could be the difference between getting a job and finding a place of their own, or remaining on the streets for another month

Organization of Hope, or OOH, was founded in 2009 by Dr. Patrecia Williams, a minority veteran who truly understands that even the smallest deed can change someone’s life.

In keeping with the organization’s mission of helping persons navigate life’s disruptions by providing a sustainable continuum of care services, our latest project is geared towards providing homeless population access to a free mobile showering and laundry service.

Organization of Hope plans to use the funding from this campaign to purchase a trailer that will be outfitted with showers, restrooms, washing machines, and dryers, and taken to key stops around the Baltimore City area each day. This will allow homeless persons to have a bath and clean the clothing they have with them – something simple that can mean so much. They will also have the option to consult with one of our on-site volunteers, who can provide medical, substance, alcohol, mental health, and housing counseling and referrals to specialists and centers.

Donate now to help us bring some dignity back to the lives of our fellow residents who are down on their luck. A person is still a person with or without a place to call home.