A novel approach for helping the homeless: My video interview with Doniece Sandoval of Lava Mae

Every once in a while something captures our attention, and we want to tell the world about it. Today is one of those days for me.

As a longtime resident of San Francisco, I know too well that Silicon Valley can be simultaneously admired for its ingenuity, and reviled for its inability to use its creative and economic resources to help those who need it most. An organization has come along, however, that aims to turn that dynamic on its head.

Allow me to introduce you to Lava Mae: The San Francisco based start-up that’s retrofitting public buses and turning them into roving showers and bathrooms for the homeless.

When I first learned about Lava Mae a few months ago, all I knew was that I wanted in. I wanted to help in any way that I could. As a psychologist, I spent many of my training years working directly with local, mentally ill, homeless people. It’s for that reason that I know how desperately needed this service is.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with the founder of Lava Mae, Doniece Sandoval, so that I could interview her via Skype about what she intends to do with this organization – and how all of us (including me and you) can help her to make it go global. You can watch that interview here:

If you feel as passionately as I do about this, you can make a fully tax-deductible donation right here. No amount is too small.

If you feel passionately but don’t have the means, you can spread the word by sharing this page.

Thank you so much for taking action.