By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The United Way of Central Kansas (UWCK) has created a new program called “Laundry
Love” which will launch Saturday, Aug. 20 in Great Bend to help those in need with
cleaning their clothes.
Laundry Love will wash the clothes and bedding of low- and no-income families
and individuals. With no questions asked, anyone can stop by and receive up to
five loads of laundry done for free.
United Way Executive Director Charell Owings
said the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Discount Laundry on
Jefferson Street, just behind the Subway restaurant.
"They don't need to bring anything with them, except for their laundry," said Owings. "In case they have to bring their kids with them, we'll have some Dolly Parton Imagination Library books, coloring books and crayons. We'll also have snacks and water available for anyone that joins us."
On average, a load of laundry done in your house costs less than a dollar. At
a laundromat, it costs about $4.25 to do that same load. To help those
underserved, clean laundry can assist with health, children teasing because of a child’s
dirty clothes and the economic burden.
Moeder Plumbing, Heating & Air is sponsoring Saturday's event, but Owings
said United Way is looking for individuals or businesses to sponsor future
events.
"We will be doing this monthly," said Owings. "We'll be looking for more sponsors. Even if people want to donate laundry supplies. We have enough to get us through a couple of events but we'll be collecting those donations as well."
Each Laundry Love event will be on the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
This new program was born from the collaboration that UWCK is a part of, Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE). A fellow member of this group Vicki Richardson with Kansas Children’s Service League and Pilot Club had seen this program in action in Salina and had of goal of bringing this to Great Bend for more than two years.
The story of Laundry Love began with T-Bone, a gentleman living in Ventura, California. In one particular conversation, a question was asked of him: “T-Bone, how can we come alongside your life in a meaningful way?” His response was honest and practical. “If I had clean clothes, people would treat me like a human being.”