Calabrese seeks city approval for mobile shower facility

GAINESVILLE, Texas — Marc Calabrese, the Valley View native who founded Soul Food of Cooke County, is seeking city approval for a second outreach project: a mobile shower facility called Suds for Souls. The proposed facility would provide safe, private shower access for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Cooke County. Calabrese described the project to Lions Club members as "a community funded, volunteer run outreach designed to provide safe access to showers." The facility consists of a 10-by-8-foot specialty-equipped, self-contained trailer featuring 10 private shower stalls and five basins. It would operate on a limited basis initially in a fenced, gated and controlled area. Calabrese told the group the facility aims to restore "dignity and self-worth to people who are often unseen or unheard." He emphasized that providing basic amenities is not about increasing the area's homeless population but about offering human dignity to those already in need. Calabrese has a long history of community service. As a nine-year-old in Valley View, he convinced local officials to open a shelter for homeless individuals in a vacant city building. In 2021, he founded Soul Food of Cooke County, a nonprofit that provides hot meals at Central Baptist Church in Gainesville every Saturday at noon. The program now serves approximately 80 meals each week. Those interested in supporting either project can reach Calabrese at 940-736-8044 or contact Soul Food of Cooke County through their Facebook page.