With a team of volunteers, they installed 15 foot-pedal-powered sinks with supplies of 5 to 10 gallons (19 to 38 liters) of water and soap in Hurt Park on March 19, 2020, according to media reports.
“A shelter for women and children in Columbus, OH will be equipped with resources to go out and serve people experiencing homelessness,” they wrote.
The response from homeless people in downtown Atlanta, some of whom were able to wash their hands for the first time in days, was very positive, reported the outlet.
“[I]n a major city, like [Atlanta], it speaks very loud,“ Lecrae said. ”The love is loud, appreciation is loud, but the problems are loud as well.
“The city has shown me so much love, so I wanted to be sure to show it back,” he added.
“There’s public health research right now that suggests that if we’re asking the community to wash your hands, protect against the spread and contraction of the coronavirus,” Lester said, “then we also need to provide tools for the parts of the community to perform those behaviors if they are experiencing homelessness.”
This is especially true as almost all the places they would normally go to use the restroom and wash their hands are closed. The artist said it was rewarding “to ease some of their panics” by providing this basic hygienic service.
Love Beyond Walls expressed their gratitude on their Facebook page to everyone who reached out to them to know how to get involved with the wash stations.
For those who expressed to donate, the non-profit noted that they can reach out to them at www.lovebeyondwalls.org/give.
“I think this moment is showing us that we need to be about the entire community, the whole community, even those who are houseless,” Lester told WBUR.
“For me, in the ways of Jesus … I just want to show that compassion to my neighbor,” Lester said.