Project Page Lava Mae
How can design help serve those experiencing homelessness?
LavaMaeX (POP UP CARE VILLAGE + TOOLKIT)
LavaMaeX is a non-profit organization that brings “Radical Hospitality” to those who are moving through homelessness in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles by providing an unexpected level of care, promoting dignity, and rekindling hopes and optimism through mobile hygiene services.
Location / Date:
San Francisco, CA / 2015-2020
Status:
Completed
Site area:
Civic Center
Client:
Lava Maex
In the News:
DIY Mobile Hygiene Toolkit Launced
LavaMae x began with retrofitting decommissioned MUNI buses to offer free mobile showers in 2014 in response to the shortage of public shower facilities available within the City. Inspired by their mission, SITELAB collaborated with LavaMaex to introduce San Francisco’s first “Pop-Up Care Village (PUCV)” (video), an event designed to mobilize and catalyze collective impact of non-profits, social entrepreneurs and city agencies to offer consolidated service and heighten the sense of community and awareness. SITELAB first developed a rendering to help potential partners see the opportunity and then supported LavaMaex with planning, programming, design, and staging strategies throughout PUCV’s pilot program. The PUCV has become a monthly event hosted at Civic Center Plaza fronting San Francisco Main Public Library, and the model has been adopted in San Jose as well as Los Angeles.
Pop Up Care Village
As other service providers increasingly reached out to LavaMae x seeking advice on hosting their own PUCVs, LavaMae x once again partnered with SITELAB to create a PUCV Toolkit. The Toolkit shares LavaMae x’s joy of hosting events, and offers lessons learned on topics ranging from building a budget to collecting volunteer feedback. SITELAB designed the document to be accessible and inviting, reflecting LavaMaex’s focus on people – guests, volunteers, and staff- – through portraits and hand-drawn illustrations.
Community Engagement
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