Every Tuesday for the past year, John Stewart hiked to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for a doughnut, a morning shower and to talk with friends.
Unhoused man John Stewart, 51, has used Helena's Showers to Empower program for a year. He's originally from Polson.
He’s 51 years old and has been homeless since 14, so he meant it when he said a consistent service like Showers to Empower is rare. Most people have to go to the fairgrounds, take quick “spit showers” in a bathroom or depend on someone they knew who was lucky enough to have shelter.
It’s nice to be clean, he said, and it’s nice to have a place where he won’t be shooed away.
St. Paul’s celebrated three years of free weekly showers for the unsheltered Tuesday. It works with United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area and Good Samaritan Ministries to provide snacks, coffee and water. Every three months, haircuts, lunches, a mobile medical unit and clothes are available, too.
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Two unhoused people look at free clothes offered by St. Paul's United Methodist Showers to Empower program. The biggest needs for unhoused people are socks and underwear, United Way's Jeff Buscher said.
It estimates it has given 2,272 showers to 431 people over the last three years. It’s been sustained by over 50 volunteers each year and 1,248 donated doughnuts from Van’s Bakery, which supplies 24 free donuts every week.
The program was started Nov. 1, 2021. United Way estimates 181 are experiencing homelessness in Helena, including 17 children, 11 veterans and 103 people with disabilities. That number has ticked upward for at least the past three years.
Tuesday was Anita Mehus’ first time cutting hair for the program. She works at Sunflower Salon at 2 N. Last Chance Gulch, and she learned about the program through a co-worker.
An unsheltered man gets his hair cut Nov. 12 at St. Paul's United Methodist Showers to Empower program. Free haircuts, clothes and medical services are offered once every three months.
She gave four of the 10 haircuts of the day and enjoyed listening to the attendees’ stories. They’ve lived a lot of life, even the 10-year-old she helped.
More importantly, she’s happy to help them feel more like themselves. Working in hair, she knows there’s a lot of power in someone’s appearance. If a good haircut is what helps someone feel dignified and treated with more respect, she’s happy to pack her scissors.
“I’ll be back,” she said. “There’s no doubt.”
PureView Health Center's mobile health unit sits outside St. Paul's United Methodist Church Nov. 12 for its Tuesday Showers to Empower program.
Those who want to use the Tuesday showers can attend 9 a.m. to noon at St. Paul’s Cruse Avenue entrance.
Interested volunteers are encouraged to email Jeff Buscher, United Way’s community impact coordinator, at Jeff@UnitedWayLCA.org.
