Where Are the Free Public Showers in Portland, OR?
Proper hygiene is a basic human need, a necessity for survival, and without it, a person is at risk of developing various infections and communicable diseases, potentially exposing other people to such illnesses as well. For those who are unsheltered, finding clean, safe facilities that offer showers and restrooms is a daily struggle. Lack of Hygiene is an Obstacle A survey of 550 unhoused individuals in Portland, conducted between 2014 and 2016, revealed that 40% of respondents have dealt with medical problems due to a lack of hygiene services, whereas 20% have been turned away from shelters and 22% of respondents have been denied meals, food, or services because of their level of personal hygiene (Hawash et al., 2016, as cited in Greene et al., 2022). The consequences of not having reliable shower and restroom access go beyond the medical—hygiene affects appearance which can, unfortunately, affect the way one gets treated in a service setting. A single, free shower, therefore, could ...