Photo by David Belcher
SOAP & HOPE — Soap & Hope recently hosted a free laundry day. The group will host its next free laundry day on July 27 from 10 a.m. to noon at Bustin’ Suds Laundromat, 915 Cleveland St. in Mount Vernon. Soap & Hope board members include (FROM LEFT) Stacie Hurst, treasurer; Crystal Rodotz, president; and Chris Labuwi, board member.
By DAVID BELCHER
For the Sentinel
MOUNT VERNON – When Amelia Walls has a pile of dirty laundry, she washes it by hand.
“It’s hard work and it takes a while,” said the woman from Bluford.
Question: Why doesn’t she go to a laundromat?
Answer: She can’t afford to go to a laundromat.
To help solve this problem for those in the same situation, Soap & Hope recently hosted a free laundry day at Bustin’ Suds Laundromat.
“We offer free laundry to low-income individuals and families who need help with laundry,” said Stacie Hurst, treasurer of Soap & Hope. “Some families have to choose between clean laundry and paying important bills. We’ve had people tell us it’s cheaper to go to a garage sale and buy new clothes than to take them to the laundry.”
The only thing participants had to bring was clothes. Change, laundry detergent and dryer sheets were provided. There was a maximum of three loads per family.
“It’s great,” Talonda Hampton of Mount Vernon said of the service as she took some clothes out of the dryer.
Additionally, Hurst said many of the free laundry day participants wore dirty clothes because they didn’t have money to wash them. She said having a child go to school in dirty clothes can lead to bullying and significantly affect the self-esteem of both parent and child.
While wearing clean clothes is essential for hygiene, Soap & Hope also provided other essential hygiene items such as deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste free of charge.
Crystal Rodotz, president of Soap & Hope, said Soap & Hope was born out of an incident at a food bank. It was barely winter coat season when she noticed a person in line whose winter coat was already dirty. Much dirtier than the coat should have been at this time of year. She said she came home and told her sister Hurst what she had seen and they realized there was a need to help people do laundry.
Soap & Hope was born.
“There is definitely a need,” Rodotz said. She said the last free laundry day officially started at 10 a.m. and by 9 a.m. people were already waiting.
She said Free Laundry Day has become a community project involving volunteers and churches. “None of our volunteers are paid for this. They all donate their time. Many churches help us.”
“It’s pretty exciting,” says Patty Beaty, one of the volunteers helping Free Laundry Day participants. “It feels good to help people.”
The little ones don’t miss out either. Soap & Hope provides the launderers’ children with toys, snacks and water.
Soap & Hope will host its next free laundry day on July 27 from 10 a.m. to noon at Bustin’ Suds Laundromat, 915 Cleveland St. in Mount Vernon.
“Free Wash Days is made possible by the compassion and generosity of people in our community,” Soap & Hope said in a statement. “Volunteers and financial donations are welcome.”
For more information about Soap & Hope, visit www.soaphope.org, visit the Facebook page, or email [email protected].
Photo by David Belcher
SORTING CLOTHES – Gloria J. McKiness sorts clothes on free laundry day.
Photo by David Belcher
FREE LAUNDRY DAY – Amelia Walls was one of the participants in the recent Free Laundry Day at Bustin’ Suds Laundromat. Free Laundry Day provides free laundry to low-income individuals and families who need help with laundry.
