What do people on the streets want? It’s often as simple as “a bottle of water, a hug, and some eye contact.”
Listen to Waterman Dave talk about how he learned this basic truth.
Anyone and everyone connected to homelessness in San Diego knows “Waterman Dave”. Dave Ross, who most people call Waterman Dave, spends his days handing out bottles of water to people experiencing homelessness. Dave also advocates for our homeless friends in big ways. A few years past he successfully sued the city over people’s belonging. That lawsuit created temporary storage facility. Dave was also instrumental in getting the seasonal emergency shelter extended, and he is currently battling to keep a few portable bathrooms open.
Dave is almost larger-than-life. As he walks and drives though San Diego’s worst neighborhoods, Dave almost has a draft effect of smiles. People who are down on their luck, living in small tent communities all over downtown, see Dave and know that for at least a moment they’ll get a bottle of water and friendly conversation.