Has your community recently suffered a natural disaster, or are you planning to bring in aid for a post-hurricane city’s newly homeless population? Whether people in your community recently lost their homes due to financial need or tropical storm, there are plenty of ways in which you can help out in order to make daily life a little bit easier:
1. Mobile Shower Trailers
Mobile shower trailers are portable structures that house one- or two-stall showers. These trailers can easily be brought into a site of need and used by residents. Several types of mobile showers are also equipped with wheelchair ramps, handrails, air conditioning, and heat. They might also contain toilets and hand-washing stations!
2. Portable Toilets
You might associate portable toilets with outdoor music festivals and construction sites – for which they are used frequently – but they’re also used after natural disasters as well. Whether you’re surviving the Gulf Coast hurricane season or you simply want to be prepared for a potential emergency, know that there are several options for portable toilets in addition to the blue stalls you frequently see outside.
3. Tiny Houses
Across the United States, environmentally conscious individuals have been living in what they call “tiny houses” for quite some time. They usually run from 250-400 square feet and they’re about the $1 per square foot to rent (meaning that rent is about $250-400 depending on the size of the dwelling). They’re also usually fully furnished. Some people have wondered, especially within the last decade, if tiny houses could function as a solution to many cities’ homeless population. Because homeless individuals often live without access to food, clean water, and shelter in extreme weather, some cities like Dallas and Portland have actually constructed tiny house villages for their homeless population. Tiny houses, in addition to mobile showers and toilets, can be brought in for quick use in times of crisis or after a natural disaster as well.
Whether you work for a city that’s in the midst of navigating a natural disaster or you’re simply a kind-hearted individual looking for a way to make a difference, know that there are several things you can do to help those in need in addition to bringing in food, water, and other supplies for daily living. Providing showers, a place to use the toilet, and even a place to rest at night can be a meaningful way to contribute to your community.
