Inspiring Conversations with Robert Thornton of Cloud Covered Streets

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Thornton.

Hi Robert, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Cloud Covered Streets started because I always drove around the valley as a part of my apparel company, Paper Clouds Apparel. PCA took art created by individuals with special needs, transferred that art to clothing, and sold it online, with 50% of the proceeds going to a special needs cause. Anyone driving around the valley is quick to notice the large amounts of individuals experiencing homelessness. One day, I was in the turn lane to get on the I-10 from 7th St and saw a gentleman wearing what could barely be called a shirt. Owning an apparel company, I felt compelled to do something about this. I went out and bought 200 t-shirts and printed the Paper Clouds Apparel logo on them with plans of handing them out to those in need. They get a new shirt, and PCA receives a lot of walking billboards.

I wanted to do more than give out a shirt, so I devised the idea for “Letters of Hope,” handwritten letters of encouragement to raise the spirits of those experiencing homelessness. October 14th, 2015, was my first day on a street mission. I have no thoughts of starting a nonprofit and dedicating my life to helping those in need. But that first day, I met some fantastic people who caused a significant shift in my future. I decided to go out again and, this time, bring new socks, as Daniel, one of the individuals I met on day one, told me he could use socks. I continued to add items, but one thing that has always been a constant was asking those I met, “What do you need?” Many responded that they needed a shower. I asked them about using the shelters and was told they didn’t feel safe there. I decided to do some research and came up with the idea of building a mobile shower/laundry trailer. This way, we could hit up locations all over the valley and serve those who might not be nearby a place where they can take a shower. I spent years trying to get a trailer on the streets. We had many broken promises from construction and fabrication companies and ultimately decided to build the trailer myself. I had no clue what I was doing, but I was fortunate to have a dad who was terrific at building things and had a brain that could figure things out. So, my father and a couple of friends went to work on converting an empty 24-foot cargo trailer into the shower/laundry trailer I had envisioned. In August 2020, our trailer hit the streets of the valley, and in January 2022, we launched our second trailer in Fort Worth, TX. We are working hard to get our third trailer on the streets of Tucson, AZ.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Cloud Covered Streets has easily been the most challenging thing I have ever done. I needed to gain knowledge on how to run a nonprofit. I had no experience in fundraising or dealing with those experiencing homelessness. I have a stubbornness that won’t allow me to quit. Funding our program is the biggest struggle for any nonprofit. Fortunately, we found a fantastic partner in Mercy Care; as a part of their Mercy Cares Community Reinvestment Funds, they have made massive donations to help CCS continue providing our services to those experiencing homelessness. Lately, our Phoenix and Fort Worth teams have needed help finding hair professionals to join us when we take out the trailer. We then had a post on Facebook discussing our need for hair professionals, which went viral and received over 3,000 shares, which we had never seen on a post before. We had a lot of hair professionals in each city reach out, and we hope we can find stylists and barbers easily.

Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us more about your business.
My goal with CCS is to have individuals experiencing homelessness who utilize our services walk away knowing someone cares about them. The services we provide, such as showers, laundry services, haircuts, new clothing, employment, etc., are merely the tools we use to get those needing to come and spend time with us. Let our fantastic team shower them with kindness, compassion, and love. We get to meet some great people who are experiencing homelessness. Our friends on the street are way too often treated as if they are less than human. We aim to ensure they know that people care about them and that they matter.

Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I wish I had an excellent answer for this, but I don’t have any apps or podcasts I listen to regularly. CCS takes up most of my life, but I am working hard to find balance.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cloudcoveredstreets.org
• Instagram: @cloudcoveredstreets
• Facebook: Cloud Covered Streets