Our short and long term goals are the same—to provide a safe place for people experiencing homelessness.
With care and respect, we provide food, clean clothing, showers, and other resources.
A respite from the street, where our guests are treated with kindness and respect.
Our target audience is the unhoused, which includes those living on the street, in cars, and in transitional housing.
Gail Mutke, Alan Lang, and Julie Lie are volunteer co-chairs of the Shower Program, sharing their vision and passion.
Over 45 years ago, Manna Meals at St Luke’s, provided hot lunches on the 4th Saturday of each month. Gail was one of the leaders of that program.
Someone noticed that shower stalls existed in a men’s restroom on the church campus and the idea of the Shower Program came to life. We have been operational for over 25 years.
Later, the women’s shower was added, and in February of 2021 an additional shower and upgraded restroom stalls became a part of the facility. The Ahmanson Foundation and various other grants made this project a reality.
The Shower Program continued despite COVID restrictions, thanks to a small group of dedicated volunteers. It was one of the few homeless services that continued to be available during the pandemic.
In June 2025, St. Luke’s completed a remodel of its men’s shower facilities. This project was made possible by a grant provided by United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
In the past few years, individual donations of funds and goods by church members and other supporters, in addition to grant funding, have allowed us to improve the functionality of the shower program. Recent improvements include additional seating, sun shades across the courtyard, two washer and dryer sets for laundering towels and reusable clothing, a bag check and designated charging areas, and an outdoor 4-person sink for shaving and washing of personal items.
