A public transit bus-turned-mobile shower has been made available in San Francisco in an effort to help the homeless. The service commenced last month.

Equipped with two bathrooms and relaxing background music to boot, the nonprofit Lava Mae mobile shower bus and its inventory of hygiene products and towels are free of charge.

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Doniece Sandoval, founder of the group, said that this was her way of helping the homeless regain their dignity as functioning members of society.

Because the shower is mobile, homeless people in different areas of San Francisco can have access to the service.

Also, the use of a bus does away with increases in rent or possible evictions due to lack of funds. San Francisco is a city known for its oftentimes high real estate prices.

The refurbished Lava Mae bus cost US$75,000 and was funded by individuals and organizations who donated privately, including an undisclosed amount from Google.

San Francisco gives Lava Mae free use of the city's fire hydrants as their water source.

Sandoval said, "If you're homeless, you're living on the streets and you're filthy, you're trying to improve your circumstances, but you can't interview for a job, you can't apply for housing and you get disconnected from your sense of humanity. So a shower just in of itself is amazing for people."

Ralph Brown, a homeless military veteran and one of the service's first consumers, hadn't taken a shower for several days before he happened upon the mobile shower.

Brown shared, "Being inside there is kind of a trip because it's pretty high-tech and kind of ingenious. Basically, I just feel a lot better."

The sense of gratitude and happiness from those who use the mobile shower is more than enough to keep Sandoval motivated to keep the program going.

"It's a great feeling to just be able to offer people something so simple and yet so vital," Sandoval said.

TagsSan Francisco, mobile bus shower, Lava Mae, homeless shower, homeless