A CHARITY providing showers for homeless people in Frankston and Chelsea is struggling to keep up with demand.
Portable shower service, Clean as Casper, has been providing free warm showers near Community Support Frankston (CSF), and at Chelsea’s Church of Christ once a week for the past six months.
But founder Steve Winterton said demand was high and the mobile service hoped to increase visits to Frankston and Chelsea to twice a week.
He said a $10,000 grant under the Sunsuper ‘Dreams for a Better World’ program would go a long way towards helping the charity buy a new van so it could provide a fully enclosed showering and change facility.
Mr Winterton said the portable shower, currently set up on a trailer, could only service up to seven people per visit to Frankston and Chelsea, and that an extra session in each area was needed to meet demand.
CSF manager Steve Phillips said Clean as Casper provided a much-needed service that helped restore dignity and provide comfort to vulnerable people.
“For anyone sleeping rough or living in difficult circumstances, this service provides more than just a chance to take a warm shower, it provides an opportunity for people to sit down and talk to counsellors or access other services,” he said.
Mr Phillips disagreed with Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle’s recent comments about Melbourne’s homeless crisis. Cr Doyle said it was misguided to provide services and comforts that allowed homeless people to stay on the streets.
“There is nothing comfortable about being homeless,” Mr Phillips said.
He said the loss of the City Life service in Frankston means support services to homeless people are essential.
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Can donations of soap and shampoo etc be of any help and if so where could I drop them off at. What about towels and nail brushes etc…toothbrushes? Anthing?