Mobile shower unit for homeless

Taking a shower might not seem like much of a privilege. But for the homeless, it can be. Finding a place isn't easy, but we found a North Fort Myers man who is trying to change that. Drew Broderick is the creator of a mobile shower unit. He uses it to help provide free showers for the homeless.

He built the unit inside what was once his construction trailer. Broderick used to own his own construction business, but when the Great Recession hit, he lost his business and eventually he was homeless.

What he hated the most about being homeless was not being able to shower.

"You go to the gas station trying to wash up in the sinks, and the managers are knocking on the door yelling at you and cussing at you," Broderick said. "Because they know what you're doing in there."

So Broderick pulled the mobile unit to different ministries around Fort Myers.

Lucy Bonsanto is the CEO of Lucy's Love and Light Ministries.

"I know I provide them with clothes and food and haircuts and meals and a lot of other love," Bonsanto said. "But there's something about that hot shower, it just trumps it."

Broderick has seen that for himself.

"They come out of there looking like a million bucks, giving me big hugs and crying," Broderick said. "It's been a beautiful experience."

Things have changed. Broderick's truck broke down, and he couldn't afford to fix it.

He eventually had to sell it, and can't take the mobile shower unit around anymore.

"He has a need to be able to become mobile again," Bonsanto said. "So anything anybody can do to help him would be a huge blessing."

Broderick is hoping some people will step up and form a board to help him run "Showers for Homeless Fort Myers," and that he can find a truck to transport the trailer.

"[With] this mobile shower unit, I can go and get to them," Broderick said. "A lot of homeless people can't travel, so I can go and get to them."