Talk about cleaning up! How a Modesto charity could turn $5,000 into $10,000

The builders of the second Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle have an opportunity to turn $5,000 into $10,000.

A supporter who wishes to remain anonymous has committed to matching, dollar for dollar, donations of up to $5,000, said Dean Dodd, president of What Would Jesus Do Ministries, which operates Church in the Park Modesto and Cleansing Hope.

The man told Dodd he’s felt God prodding him for months to help in some way. “He checked in with me on funding (and) asked how much more we needed. I told him it depends on in-kind donations (such as free or discounted materials and labor) and so on. He asked if $10,000 would cover it.” Dean said he replied he was sure it would.

The first shuttle, which began operating in August 2016, has provided more than 6,000 showers to the homeless and working poor, Dodd said. It connects to the water supply at partner facilities and uses a tankless water heater.

The two-stall bus offers showers from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Mondays at Vine House Ministries, 523 Martin Luther King Drive, Wednesdays at Modesto Gospel Mission, 1400 Yosemite Blvd., and Thursdays at the Salvation Army Citadel, 625 I St.

Dodd expects the second shuttle to be running within three months. Work yet to be done includes applying the spray-on waterproof liner to the two shower stalls and adding the exterior wrap to the shuttle.

Demand for the shuttles is high, Dodd said. “We have people sign up and end up sitting around 90 minutes or more in the heat to wait their turn,” he told The Bee in May. Some people are able to make it to only one shuttle stop a week, he said, while others with vehicles hit all three.

Any donations in excess of the cost of getting the second shuttle up and running will go to ongoing costs – fuel, vehicle maintenance, hygiene supplies, shower disinfectants and more – to operate both vehicles.

Shuttle users also receive clean socks and underwear. And on milestones like every 1,000th shower, a recipient is given a $25 gift card for a fast-food restaurant, Dodd said.

“We know people are pulled in all directions (for their charitable donations), especially with the hurricane going on,” Dodd said, but he hopes local residents will help make the most of the offer to match donations.

“It actually costs over $8 per shower in overhead to provide this amazing service to our beloved city,” reads a post on the Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle’s Facebook page. “Cleaning up the city two showers at a time ain’t cheap.”

Donations can be made at showershuttle.com or by mailing a check to Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle, 236 S. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A, Modesto, CA 95354. Checks should be made payable to Shower Shuttle.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Talk about cleaning up! How a Modesto charity could turn $5,000 into $10,000."