Every year, Lotus House — a women's shelter funded by the Sundari Foundation — houses over 500 women and children who are experiencing homelessness. The shelter is located in the Overtown section of Miami in a three-year-old, state-of-the-art building. It provides mini apartments, education, medical care, counseling, job training, and job placement, helping occupants achieve self-sufficiency and transition to new homes.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Lotus House team started researching ways to combat the virus and keep their occupants safe while indoors. After investigating recommendations from the CDC and ASHRAE, they settled on ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, which ASHRAE had recommended back in April 2020.