story
Established in 2018, WAVE Project (Welcoming All Valuing Everyone) is a grassroots nonprofit organization based in Macomb County. The founding 6 members of WAVE project were brought together by the common threads of faith, family, and a desire to make an impact by serving and loving the community.
WAVE Project exists to build relationships. From connecting with existing organizations to mobilize and equip, to directly meeting needs within the community, WAVE Project is relational at heart. The project started with a monthly Outreach BBQ event in Mount Clemens where volunteers and people experiencing homelessness alike sat down together over a meal and share their stories. Through hearing people’s stories, it became evident that access to hygiene services is a major barrier for those in the community who are experiencing homelessness.
Due to transportation, accessibility, and other barriers, members of the homeless community often go long periods of time without a shower. It quickly became apparent that Mobile Showers were a need not currently being met in the Metro Detroit region. After extensive research, and meeting with community leaders and existing organizations, a unique mission emerged for WAVE Project: to share love by providing mobile showers to those in need.
Within a year, hundreds of people were inspired to ‘Join The WAVE’ and generously donated their resources to help fund the purchase of a custom, 3 - stall mobile shower trailer. Equipped with private stalls including toilet, sink, and stand-up shower, the shower trailer (Shower Service) rolled up to Metro Detroit in August of 2019. The Essentials Van (mobile clothing closet & hygiene essentials) hit the roads in 2021. WAVE Project provides 200+ showers and hundreds of clothing/hygiene essentials to those in need each month. With site partners on board in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties, WAVE Project is poised to serve the homeless community in a unique way and impact generations to come.
“It’s a morale booster when you feel clean... [mobile showers] are a good investment in humanity, and a good investment in the community”.
~ Kelly, a homeless Macomb county resident
WAVE Project exists to build relationships. From connecting with existing organizations to mobilize and equip, to directly meeting needs within the community, WAVE Project is relational at heart. The project started with a monthly Outreach BBQ event in Mount Clemens where volunteers and people experiencing homelessness alike sat down together over a meal and share their stories. Through hearing people’s stories, it became evident that access to hygiene services is a major barrier for those in the community who are experiencing homelessness.
Due to transportation, accessibility, and other barriers, members of the homeless community often go long periods of time without a shower. It quickly became apparent that Mobile Showers were a need not currently being met in the Metro Detroit region. After extensive research, and meeting with community leaders and existing organizations, a unique mission emerged for WAVE Project: to share love by providing mobile showers to those in need.
Within a year, hundreds of people were inspired to ‘Join The WAVE’ and generously donated their resources to help fund the purchase of a custom, 3 - stall mobile shower trailer. Equipped with private stalls including toilet, sink, and stand-up shower, the shower trailer (Shower Service) rolled up to Metro Detroit in August of 2019. The Essentials Van (mobile clothing closet & hygiene essentials) hit the roads in 2021. WAVE Project provides 200+ showers and hundreds of clothing/hygiene essentials to those in need each month. With site partners on board in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties, WAVE Project is poised to serve the homeless community in a unique way and impact generations to come.
“It’s a morale booster when you feel clean... [mobile showers] are a good investment in humanity, and a good investment in the community”.
~ Kelly, a homeless Macomb county resident