The dream of a hygiene station for Lea County became a reality Thursday morning as the new Salvation Army facility officially opened. Hobbs mayor Sam Cobb was just one of many who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony that marked the grand opening.
Today’s celebration was also very special for Hobbs Salvation Army Corps Officer Lt. Shannon Brown. “Seeing a vision come to fruition was huge for us here at the Salvation Army of Lea County,” she said. “Having Mayor Cobb here, and many others that have poured time and money into this project filled my heart to overflowing with gratitude. We are looking forward to helping many with this hygiene station and hope it will bring dignity and hope to those who use it.”
Personal hygiene is essential to both mental and physical health and is an important part of preventing disease. However, for people struggling with homelessness who often have no access to a shower, staying clean can be difficult. Now the opportunity to wash up is available to those in need in the Hobbs area, and Lt. Brown is very happy about this. “I feel excited and hopeful that it will help many of Hobbs & Lea County. It has been a vision here for some time, and I am over the moon with joy to see it open,” she said.
Keenly aware of the need to help those in need stay clean, the local Hobbs Salvation Army, through the Emergency Disaster Services division of the international Salvation Army, has for the past two years been orchestrating a project to bring showers to people in the Hobbs area.
That concept is now a reality, and those in need will be able to schedule an appointment to take a shower via the Hobbs Salvation Army.
The new Hobbs hygiene center is located in the warehouse of the former Salvation Army Family Store at the intersection of East Main Street and South Fowler Street.
In addition to offering a place to take a shower in the new six-shower mobile unit, the facility is equipped with a washer and dryer station for laundry. All hygiene services will be free of charge.
The new mobile hygiene trailer is not owned by the local Hobbs Salvation Army but by the Salvation Army international organization. This means that in the future, should the need arise, the trailer could be pulled from its location in Hobbs and moved to a different place.
In 2019 a plan to build a hygiene center in Hobbs for the homeless was initiated. The original idea was to construct a permanent facility offering restrooms and showers, plus a laundromat.
The project was the brainchild of then Hobbs Salvation Army Corps Officer Maj. Lisa Smith and Hobbs Salvation Army board of directors member Lorena Castillo, who also is associated with the Lea County United Way. Although still on the drawing board, the industrious plan of these two women was laid aside and has not yet come to fruition.
Still, with the mobile hygiene trailer plus washer and dryer station, the problem they set out to solve is now addressed, at least temporarily. The future for people facing homelessness in and around Hobbs is now much brighters with this new facility, and it will hopefully provide many with the help they need to meet potential opportunities feeling fresh and clean.
For Lt. Brown the facility and the help offered by other agencies give hope even though the homeless issue remains a significant problem. “My thought on the homeless situation here is that it seems to be growing, and between all of the different agencies here, I am positive that together we can make a difference in significant ways.”
So although the new hygiene station is likely not forever, it is a very positive start when it comes to helping people in Lea County.
To reach out to the Hobbs Salvation Army and help in their pursuit to build a permanent hygiene facility, contact them at: 575-397-2119. To learn more about the mission and projects of the Hobbs Salvation Army click here. For more information about the international Salvation Army click here.
