A Georgetown nonprofit helps those in need with a simple, but profound and often overlooked service: clean laundry.
Twice a month, Laundry Love Georgetown provides all the quarters and detergent so Georgetown’s low-income community can wash their clothes and bedding for free. There is no registration and no proof of need. Everybody is welcome.
“Think about it,” Leslie Hearne, Director of Laundry Love Georgetown, told Hello Georgetown. “Wearing clean clothes and sleeping on clean sheets is something you and I take for granted. But for others, clean laundry lifts and restores one’s dignity and self-esteem.”
A story about Eric, a homeless gentleman, illustrates this important point. When Eric was asked, “What can we do for you? What would make an impact on your life?” His answer was alarming: “If I had clean clothes, I think people would treat me like a human being.”
“Clean clothes bring hope,” Ms. Hearne added. “Clean clothes empower. Clean clothes inspire happiness and confidence. Clean clothes open the door for acceptance into the community and acceptance by the community.”
The cost of cleaning clothes at a laundromats can quickly add up. A large load costs about $7.00 to wash and dry, Ms. Hearne said.
“There is no way our friends can afford to do laundry for a family,” she said. “So, twice a month, Laundry Love gives the gift of clean clothes.”
75% of attendees are “regulars” who come every month. Those who are surprised they have stumbled into Laundry Love are sometimes speechless, stunned, or suspicious. Some people start crying. One man had brought only one load to wash because that’s all he could afford. When he learned about Laundry Love, he ran home, stripped his bed, and ran back so he could also wash his sheets.
When Laundry Love Georgetown began, Ms. Hearne said, they washed about 1,000 pounds of laundry a month. Today, they wash 7,500 pounds a month.
“One of the reasons we have grown is that everybody is valued when they come in,” Ms. Hearne said. “The laundromat becomes like a community center of hope. We serve pizza and ice cream. We have games for the kids. We give away children’s books. It really is a very happy, respectful environment.”
Laundry Love Georgetown doesn’t advertise. Instead, participation from community partners like The Caring Place, Backpack Buddies, and Boys and Girls Club pass the word to their constituents. Additionally, as a nonprofit, the organization runs entirely off of donations and volunteer time, Ms. Hearne said.
“We are so blessed with a strong base of volunteers, but there are some nights when we could use some extra help,” Ms. Hearne said. “It’s easy to sign up on our website. It’s easy to donate on our website too. At Laundry Love, we know love never ends….. and neither does laundry.”
To learn more about Laundry Love Georgetown and their upcoming events, visit their website, www.laundrylovegeorgetown.org.
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