LavaMaeˣ Brings Radical Hospitality to Oakland's Temescal District
March 25, 2021 ~ Oakland, CA
In partnership with the Temescal Telegraph Business Improvement District (BID), LavaMaeˣ brings weekly mobile showers and other care services to Oakland residents experiencing homelessness.
After COVID-19 suspended mobile shower operations for months, LavaMaeˣ has brought back its mobile showers to Oakland to increase hygiene access, restore dignity, and work with the community to bring extraordinary care to the district’s unhoused population.
“When we were looking to relaunch, we wanted to find a service partner that we could closely collaborate with to bring more than showers to our guests,” says Kris Kepler, CEO of LavaMaeˣ, “After connecting with the Temescal Telegraph BID, we worked together to secure a spacious location where we could bring clothing, food, and much more.”
Showers began in late April on 46th and Shattuck, and occurs every Tuesday from 8am - 1pm. The Village of Love is the first service provider joining alongside LavaMaeˣ and the Temescal Telegraph BID, bringing free clothing and fresh food for shower guests.
As of this writing, nearby street construction is taking up much of the space, but once work finishes in mid-June, LavaMaeˣ and the Temescal Telegraph BID will put more focus on bringing more providers and volunteers bringing medical services, housing services, and more.
“The potential for this location is game-changing. Not only in bringing critical hygiene and care services to our neighbors in need, where they need them—but doing so in a way where local service providers, businesses, and neighbors all collaborate to transform lives through Radical Hospitality.” Says Kris.
To see LavaMaeˣ’s current service schedule, click here.
To learn more about ways you can support, click here.
About Temescal Telegraph BID
Organized by commercial and residential property owners along Telegraph Avenue and adjoining areas, the Temescal Telegraph Business Improvement District creates, promotes and nurtures an engaging destination for Bay Area residents, workers, and visitors to experience Temescal. The BID does so through strengthening our thriving economic base of both longtime and new businesses, celebrating the diverse cultures of the District and its events, and enhancing Temescal Telegraph's physical environment and public safety.
About Village of Love
The Village of Love creates a rapport with the unsheltered community and treats them respectfully, which is our human right, no matter where we live. The Village of Love does outreach on a daily basis and provides, care packages, snack bags, clothing and more. The Village of Love aims to enrich the community by developing creative solutions to build bridges across the disparities between residents, businesses, mental health and unsheltered communities.