Project Refresh - Augusta

What Project Refresh - Augusta does

Project Refresh, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in July 2020 in Augusta, Georgia, by healthcare workers who recognized that homeless individuals in the region lacked access to basic hygiene facilities. The organization operates a single mobile shower trailer equipped with a handicap accessibility lift, providing free hot showers, clean clothing, and toiletries to homeless and housing-insecure individuals. Services are delivered through scheduled shower days held at least twice per month at partner locations including the Salvation Army Center for Hope, Gap Ministries (1240 Ellis Street), and Golden Harvest Food Bank's Masters Table. The first mobile shower launched on February 12, 2022, making Project Refresh the first and only mobile shower service in the city of Augusta.

The organization's business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding comes from individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Security Federal Bank, Ameris Bank, Queensborough National Bank & Trust, Kamo Facility Solutions, Allegra, Aiken Ophthalmology), grant funding, in-kind hygiene product donations (notably from The Right To Shower, a Unilever brand), and three annual fundraising events: Beat the Heat 5K/10K/Fun Run, Shop for Showers holiday marketplace, and Tea & Tiles MahJongg fundraiser. Tickets for these events are priced at $40-$75 per person. Operations are supported by a 10-person team including Founder Jill Kozlowski (physical therapist), Chief Program Officer Kimberlee Bugher, Board Chair Tracy Showman, and Executive Director Brittany Hutto (appointed July 2023), plus a board of directors composed primarily of healthcare and community professionals.

In November 2025, Project Refresh expanded its scope beyond showers by piloting Community Care Days with Gap Ministries and Reduce Your Risk, integrating health-related resources at the 1240 Ellis Street site. The organization continues to host shower service days, fundraising events, and outreach activities (MLK Interfaith Service, Chamber of Commerce participation) and operates exclusively in the Augusta, GA / Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) market with no disclosed plans for geographic expansion.

Name

Project Refresh - Augusta

Legal name

Project Refresh, Inc.

Website

https://projectrefreshinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Refresh is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2020 in Augusta, Georgia, that operates the city's first mobile shower trailer providing free hot showers, clothing, and toiletries to homeless individuals at partner sites at least twice per month, funded by donations, grants, and annual fundraisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Augusta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support mobile shower operations, supply purchases, and clothing donations for guests
2. Corporate Donations: Corporate partners including Aiken Ophthalmology, Security Federal Bank, Ameris Bank, Queensborough National Bank & Trust, Kamo, and Allegra provide financial support and in-kind donations
3. Grant Funding: Grant funding enabled the organization to hire an Executive Director position, allowing more consistent service delivery during weekdays
4. Event Fundraisers: Annual fundraising events including Beat the Heat 5K/10K/Fun Run, Shop for Showers holiday market, and Tea & Tiles MahJongg fundraiser generate revenue for operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Refresh - Augusta operates the first mobile shower unit in Augusta, Georgia, providing complimentary hot showers, clean clothing, and toiletries to homeless and housing-insecure individuals. The organization deploys its handicap-accessible mobile shower trailer to partner organization sites at least twice per month, while also connecting guests with broader community support services including food assistance, job training, and housing resources.

Product overview

Project Refresh is a non-profit organization founded in July 2020 that operates a single core service: mobile shower services for homeless and underserved individuals in Augusta, GA. The organization provides access to refreshing showers as a basic human right, distributing clothing, toiletetry items, and connecting guests with partner organizations for additional support services. The organization hosts regular shower days at partner locations including Gap Ministries and Golden Harvest Food Bank's Masters Table, and operates community care days that bring health-related resources together in accessible locations. Fundraising activities include the annual Beat the Heat 5K/10K/Fun Run, Shop for Showers holiday marketplace event, and Tea & Tiles MahJongg fundraiser.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 guests served at one shower day at Gap Ministries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• The Right To Shower (Unilever)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Right To Shower, a Unilever brand, partners with Project Refresh by donating hygiene products and supporting mobile shower organizations nationwide. They share the mission that cleanliness is a fundamental human right and track impact at TheRightToShower.com.
• Golden Harvest Food BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGolden Harvest Food Bank hosts shower service days at their Masters Table location and provides volunteers. They are a key operational partner enabling Project Refresh events to run smoothly.
• Gap MinistriesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGap Ministries serves as a partner site for shower services and hosts Community Care Days events. Their location at 1240 Ellis Street is a primary service venue for the CSRA community care initiative.
• Salvation ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalvation Army Center for Hope hosts Project Refresh events and provides access to their clothing store for serving guests. Dr. Gregory Rhodes leads the local Salvation Army partnership.
• Security Federal BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecurity Federal Bank is a top corporate donor supporting Project Refresh's mission to provide mobile showers to homeless individuals in the Augusta area.
• Ameris BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmeris Bank is listed as a top corporate donor supporting Project Refresh.
• Queensborough National Bank & TrustmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerQueensborough National Bank & Trust provides both corporate donations and employee volunteers for shower service days, contributing significant volunteer hours.
• Kamo Facility Solutions and SuppliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKamo provides safety equipment and expertise to help keep guests and volunteers safe during shower operations. They have been a partner since October 2021.
• Journey Community ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJourney Community Church is listed as a community partner supporting Project Refresh's mission.
• Trinity on The HillminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrinity on The Hill is listed as a community partner supporting Project Refresh.
• Aiken OphthalmologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAiken Ophthalmology is listed as a top corporate donor supporting Project Refresh.
• AllegraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAllegra is listed as a top corporate donor supporting Project Refresh.
• Columbia County RotaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Refresh met with Columbia County Rotary to share their mission and explore partnership opportunities. Rotary members showed interest in supporting homeless services.
• Reduce Your RiskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReduce Your Risk partners with Project Refresh and Gap Ministries for Community Care Days, bringing health-related resources together for clients.
• Jessye Norman School for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJessye Norman School for the Arts provided venue for Shop for Showers fundraising events and Community Impact Dinner.
• Pete Alewine Pool & SpaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPete Alewine Pool & Spa is the premier sponsor for Beat the Heat 2025 fundraiser event.
• Aiken WoodworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAiken Woodworks sponsored Shop for Showers 2025 event.
• Fleet FeetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFleet Feet sponsored and participated in Beat the Heat 5K/10K/Fun Run 2024.
• Augusta Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteers from Augusta Technical College participated in Project Refresh's back-to-school community event for students in Augusta.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CityTeam: Established non-profit providing showers, meals, and shelter to people experiencing homelessness. Comparable in service breadth though much larger and multi-city.
• The Right To Shower (Unilever): Unilever-owned hygiene brand that partners with Project Refresh and supports mobile shower organizations nationally. Comparable as an adjacent incumbent enabling the mobile-shower category rather than directly competing.

Direct peers

• Lava Mae: San Francisco-based non-profit that pioneered mobile shower and hygiene services for the unhoused. Closest direct comparably on mobile shower service delivery to homeless populations.
• ShowerUp: Mobile hygiene non-profit providing showers and dignity services to people experiencing homelessness, operating a similar outreach-and-partnership model.
• Mobile Shower Coalition: Coalition supporting and coordinating mobile shower operators across multiple U.S. cities; directly comparable as a peer ecosystem in the same service category.
• Moving Waters: Houston-based mobile shower non-profit that directly inspired Project Refresh (per company history). Operates a comparable mobile shower model serving people experiencing homelessness in its city.

Emerging players

• Sanctuary Studios: Emerging non-profit focused on providing basic services (often including showers/hygiene) for the unhoused; partial overlap with Project Refresh's mission.
• Dignity Moves: Non-profit addressing unsheltered homelessness through interim housing and supportive services; comparable mission (homeless services, dignity-focused) with partial product overlap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjectRefreshInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-refresh-augusta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Refresh - Augusta