2023 Meal Guest Demographics

In total, 1,762 individuals came to Hope’s Corner for a hot meal in 2023, a small increase from the 1,728 we saw in 2022. The demographic information is collected for onsite meal program participants only; we do not collect demographic information about guests who receive meals offsite at the Safe Park and Day Worker Center.

Most of the individuals who come to Hope’s Corner to enjoy a meal report that they reside in Mountain View. The percentage of guests who call Mountain View home in 2023 increased from 62% in 2022.

Housing status reported by guests showed 62% of the guests have permanent shelter, which is down slightly from 63% in 2022. Guests who report they live outdoors totaled 17%, a notable increase from 12% living outdoors in 2022. The remaining guests, 11%, report they live in a vehicle or RV, down from 16% in 2022, and 10% are in a temporary shelter (9% in 2022).

Youth (individuals aged 17 and under) represented 9% of the guests who received a meal in 2023, and seniors (adults age 60 and over) totaled 48% of meal participants. Age and gender demographics were consistent with 2022 data.

2023 Shower & Laundry Program Demographics

The shower and laundry program is available to any unhoused individual in need. Program participants are offered toiletries, like shampoo, soap, razor, shaving cream, dental supplies, lotions, etc. and are given a towel. In addition, participants are offered new underwear, socks, and a t-shirt each time they come to the program. We also maintain an emergency clothing closet with shoes, pants, shirts, and jackets for those who do not have enough or proper clothing. In August 2023, to complement the meal program expansion, the Monday shower and laundry program hours were expanded to match Wednesdays. The showers and laundry are now available Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30am-12pm and Saturdays 8:30am-2:15pm.

The shower program was offered 152 days in 2023, an increase from the 122 days in 2022 given our expansion to offer the program on Mondays beginning in mid-2022. In total, 2,384 showers were enjoyed by 224 unique individuals in 2023, an increase from 1,928 showers for 200 individuals in 2022. (These statistics do not include the use of the showers by the occupants of the Cold Weather Shelter during the months of December to April.)

A majority of the 2023 shower participants were adult males aged 18-59 who accounted for 59% of the showers in 2023. Female guests aged 18-59 accounted for 19% of the shower participants and senior males (age 60+) accounted for 13% of the program participants. We served 18 Senior Females in 2023 who accounted for 9% of the showers. Although the shower program is available to youth, we did not have anyone under 18 utilize the shower program in 2023. The demographics of shower participants was not significantly changed from 2022 which was 55% adult male, 20% adult female, 15% senior male and 9% senior female.

The laundry program started in Q4 2019 but closed for much of 2020 due to Covid-19. The program was re-opened in mid-2021. The laundry program was offered 122 days in 2022 and 594 loads of laundry were washed for 97 individuals. With the laundry program expanded to Mondays, the service was offered 152 days in 2023; 782 loads of laundry were washed for 118 individuals.

The 2023 laundry program participants included 61 adult males, 31 adult females, 13 males over age 60 and 13 females over age 60. The laundry program is offered to unhoused individuals who are allowed one load of laundry per program day.