18 • MAY 2020
Local restaurants like Sugar Magnolia Takery, Burgers andBlues, and Smokehouse BBQ have provided meals on Fridays.Others have brought meals, come to cut hair, or brought clothes.No matter what each person needs, Renkenberger says shetries to help any way she can.“We pray together and share our life stories,” she says.“They are our friends.”And a shower does more than just make someone feelphysically clean. It also changes their attitude. “We’ve seenpeople open up,” says Renkenberger. “When they leave at theend of the day, they feel refreshed in more ways than one.”Mary Ann Kirby serves on the board of directors forShower Power and volunteers weekly. “This has been a gamechanger for me. I see these people through a completelydifferent lens now. I used to judge and assume that the guyon the corner was just a panhandler or hustler. But it’s whathe does, not necessarily who he is. There’s a difference.It’s a means of survival.”“Just because someone doesn’t have a home doesn’t meanthey don’t deserve to be respected,” says Renkenberger.“We listen to them and care for them because we want themto feel valued and to remind them they’re not alone.”In fact, she believes access to a toilet and a shower shouldbe an absolute human right. She will continue to champion thatcause to effect change.At the beginning of March, Renkenberger (a realtor bytrade) bought a building where she can park the mobile showerout front. She’s not sure just yet how Shower Power will usethe space, but she’s already got some ideas about how tofurther help and employ Jackson’s homeless. “Everythingthat’s happened, God has had His hand on it,” she says.Even though they give clean clothes for people to put onafter taking a shower, Renkenberger says their next projectis getting a washer and dryer so people can wash their ownclothes as well. And Shower Power welcomes anyone wantingto volunteer their time, resources, or their services.She went on to say, “I’ve genuinely made friends with alot of these guys. I wake up in the middle of the night thinkingabout something they may need or something they said. I lookforward to Fridays more than any other day of the week.”During the COVID-19 crisis, as many businesses wereclosing, Shower Power increased the number of times theyopened the truck for use. Deemed essential by the City ofJackson, the volunteer staff added Tuesdays to their weeklyschedule. And on Easter morning, they gathered their friends,while still being very mindful of social distancing, and fed them.During a normal week, Teresa says many of the peoplethat come to Shower Power hang out at the Eudora WeltyLibrary. One day, before closing their own doors due toCOVID restrictions, one of the library staff members calledTeresa to say, “I don’t know what’s in your water, butthese guys are different. You are making such a differencein their lives.”“There are needs all around us,” says Renkenberger.“If we ignore the call, we miss the blessing.”To learn more about Shower Power and to find ways toget involved, visit showerpower.ms or find them on Facebook.Shower Power is in constantneed of men’s jeans, t-shirts,duffel bags, sleeping bags, men’sand women’s sneakers, work boots,clean socks, and undergarments.Email info@showerpower.msfor more information.Hometown MADISON • 19