Church showers unhoused neighbors with love

By Lilla Marigza
Nov. 2, 2026 | COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (UM News)

Once a week, the ShowerUp truck comes to Cookeville First United Methodist Church in Tennessee. The church provides free towels and toiletries so that unhoused guests can clean up and enjoy a free hot lunch during their visit. Produced by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

A hot shower, fresh meal and friendly face can mean more than you might imagine.

Cookeville First United Methodist Church provides weekly showers to unhoused neighbors at little to no cost through a partnership with ShowerUp, a nonprofit that equips churches and other groups with shower trucks and mobile laundry facilities to serve the unhoused.

The laundry service provides clean towels at no charge, and donation drives provide free socks, underwear and toiletries. And at Cookeville First, the hospitality doesn’t stop at showers.

Marigza is a multimedia producer for UM News. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.

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