Project Outpour

What Project Outpour does

Project Outpour is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, that provides free mobile shower and hygiene services to people experiencing homelessness. Its core operating asset is a custom-built mobile shower trailer named "Syl" with 2-3 private bathroom units, transported by a donated truck named "Rambo"; the trailer cost approximately $51,000 to build. The organization deploys this unit across a fixed weekly rotation of 5 partner sites in Charlotte, including First Christian Church, Allegra Westbrook Regional Library, Memorial United Methodist Church, and Hickory Grove Library, delivering 2,494 showers in 2024 and 2,932 showers year-to-date in 2025 (already exceeding the prior full-year total).

The business model is a donation-funded nonprofit: 100% of operating and capital funding comes from individual giving, crowdfunding (notably a $20,000 Indiegogo campaign in October 2018), corporate partnerships, and foundation grants. Key partners include Unilever under the "Right to Dignity" initiative, the JimmyCORE Foundation, Bombas, Charlotte Water, Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (in-kind truck donation at half price), Urban Ministry Center, and Charlotte Rescue Mission. The organization has earned the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency, indicating strong third-party validation of governance and reporting standards.

Project Outpour operates with a 1-10 person team led by founder/CEO Laureen Jenkins, who has personally stewarded the program since inception. Beyond direct shower service, the organization refers clients to broader social services through integration with FindHelp.org. The service is geographically concentrated in Charlotte with no disclosed expansion outside the metro, leaving a single-market, single-vertical operating footprint that is replicable in concept but capital- and permission-intensive to launch.

Name

Project Outpour

Legal name

Project Outpour

Website

https://projectoutpour.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Outpour is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Charlotte, NC that delivers free mobile shower and hygiene services to people experiencing homelessness via a weekly rotation of 5 partner sites, supported entirely by donations and corporate/foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Hygiene Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

Keywords

• Mobile shower services
• Homeless hygiene services
• Mobile shower trailer
• Unhoused assistance services
• Community hygiene program

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: The Mobile Shower Program is supported 100% by donations. All gifts go directly towards providing showers, hygiene supplies, clean towels, underwear, shirts, and all other shower supplies for guests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Project Outpour provides free mobile shower access and hygiene services to unhoused neighbors across Charlotte, NC. Each guest receives a 20-minute private, climate-controlled bathroom session including sink, mirror, shower, and toilet, along with fresh towels, toiletries, and new underwear, socks, and shirts. Services are delivered at 5 weekly partner locations (churches and libraries) using a custom-built mobile shower trailer and pickup truck, and the program is funded 100% through donations and grants.

Product overview

Project Outpour operates a mobile shower program as its primary service, providing free private shower access and comprehensive hygiene services to unhoused neighbors across Charlotte, NC. The core Mobile Shower Program delivers services at 5 partner locations weekly (churches and libraries), with each guest receiving a private climate-controlled bathroom, fresh towels, toiletries, and new underwear and socks. Supporting services include hygiene supply distribution, volunteer engagement, community supply drives, and a donation program—all funded entirely through charitable contributions. The organization does not operate as a software platform but as a direct-service nonprofit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Shower Program Provides free mobile shower access to unhoused neighbors at 5 weekly partner sites across Charlotte, NC. Each guest receives a 20-minute session in a private, climate-controlled bathroom with sink, mirror, shower, and toilet, along with fresh towels, toiletries, and new underwear, socks, and shirts. Service is delivered via a custom-built mobile shower trailer named "Syl" hauled by a pickup truck named "Rambo."
• Hygiene Supply Distribution Distributes essential hygiene supplies to every shower guest, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, underwear, socks (via Bombas), shirts, and feminine hygiene products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,932 showers provided in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• E.R. Plumbing ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides plumbing services for partner site installations, including water hook-ups and drainage solutions. Owner Dave Parker has been supportive of the mission.
• Atlantic Vehicle WrapscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated vehicle wrapping services for shower trailer and truck with Project Outpour branding. Top-notch work with philanthropy focus.
• First Christian ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner shower site location on East Blvd. Open Tuesday 10:30am-2:00pm. Accessible via Route 6, Route 19, and LYNX Blue Line.
• Allegra Westbrook Regional LibrarycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner shower site at 2412 Beatties Ford Rd. Open Wednesday 10:30am-3:00pm. Accessible via Route 7.
• Memorial United Methodist ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner shower site at 4012 Central Ave. Open Thursday 10:30am-4:00pm. Accessible via Route 9 and Route 17.
• Hickory Grove LibrarycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner shower site at 5935 Hickory Grove Rd. Open Friday 10:30am-1:00pm. Accessible via Route 9 and Route 222.
• BombascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSock partner providing all socks needed for guests. Amazing sock partner eliminating need to source socks.
• Charlotte WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for water connections and identifying appropriate drainage locations for gray and black water tanks at partner sites.
• Urban Ministry CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with this homeless service agency to help connect guests with additional services and path to self-sufficiency.
• Halo NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew nonprofit from owners of Kiplin Auto that allows individuals and families living out of cars to park overnight in dealership lot with security and cameras.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mobile Loaves & Fishes: Austin-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness through mobile food, healthcare, and dignity services; broader direct-service portfolio but overlapping mobile outreach and hygiene/dignity mission.
• National Coalition for the Homeless: National advocacy and direct-service umbrella for homeless services organizations; relevant ecosystem-level peer for funding pipelines, federal policy, and sector benchmarks.

Emerging players

• Clean the World: Nonprofit that distributes recycled hygiene products (soap, hygiene kits) to homeless and disaster-affected populations; comparable hygiene-supply mission though operates a global recycling-and-distribution model rather than mobile showers.
• DignityMoves: California-based nonprofit building interim supportive housing communities for people experiencing homelessness; adjacent 'dignity-first' philosophy and donor-supported model relevant for understanding Project Outpour's potential evolution.

Direct peers

• Charlotte Rescue Mission: Charlotte-based homeless services nonprofit and an active Project Outpour partner site; provides residential recovery and shelter programming that overlaps with the hygiene/dignity mission in the same market.
• Roof Above (formerly Urban Ministry Center): Charlotte-based homeless services organization that is itself a Project Outpour partner (Urban Ministry Center connection); provides shelter, day services, and hygiene programming in the same metro.
• Lava Mae: San Francisco-based nonprofit that pioneered the mobile shower and hygiene model for people experiencing homelessness; Project Outpour explicitly modeled itself on Lava Mae's approach after the founder traveled to SF to learn its best practices.
• ShowerUp: Seattle-based nonprofit operating mobile shower and hygiene services for people experiencing homelessness; closest functional peer with the same mobile-trailer + volunteer + hygiene-kit delivery model.

Regional players

• Crisis Assistance Ministry: Charlotte-based nonprofit providing emergency assistance (clothing, household goods, financial aid) to people in crisis; operates in the same Charlotte geography with adjacent hygiene-and-dignity programming.

Others

• Bombas: Apparel brand whose 'One Purchased = One Donated' model gives socks and clothing to people experiencing homelessness; currently a Project Outpour in-kind partner (sock supplier) with a comparable homeless-services funding/awareness mechanism.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmb3WA5ISZbhZTZhKiQWXPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/projectoutpourclt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/projectoutpour
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectoutpourclt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Project Outpour