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Cheap sanitation for the homeless | Everyday Heroes

It's a DIY solution to sanitation courtesy of the volunteers with Sacramento Solidarity of Unhoused People.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Everyday Heroes are all around us and ABC10 wants to highlight the work they do. Every week our viewers nominate people and organizations making a difference in our community.  

This week we want to introduce you to Don Gibson, handwashing station coordinator with Sacramento Solidarity of Unhoused People - or Sac SOUP for short. Gibson got a team of volunteers to help make handwashing stations for the homeless.

The portable hand washing stations were created in response to COVID-19. Gibson attempted to rent commercial-grade hand washing stations, but many were already rented out. 

He came up with an idea to build portable hand washing stations, and worked together on the design with a company out of Grass Valley called Cicero innovations. 

“The reason why we went with this is because it cost about $60 to make. It's made of parts that can be found at most home hardware stores,” said Gibson.

Grassroots fundraising got his project off the ground. 

Other non-profit groups like Sacramento’s SEIU local 1000 group offered up space to store and build the wash stations. Volunteers built and deployed 60 wash stations to different homeless encampments and parks throughout Sacramento. 

Many wash stations have been in use for several weeks. Volunteers maintain and refill water as needed. 

“If anyone wants to help out and deploy or maintain these or if you want to build your own, we still have a few more to give out,” Gibson said.

Don Gibson and the volunteers at Sac SOUP are Everyday Heroes and you can be a hero too by volunteering - just reach out to SAC SOUP on their Facebook page. If you want to nominate an Everyday Hero, email John Bartell jbartell@abc10.com.

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