NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — There’s a program that’s putting a common saying, “nothing in life is free,” to the test.
The program is called “Laundry Love” and it is a growing movement by church ministries across the country and in Hampton Roads to spread friendship, love and clean loads of laundry.
Laundry Love is an organization that helps low-income and homeless members of the community do their laundry at no cost to them. The concept is simple, customers are handed out free laundry cards worth $15 at the Soaps N Suds location in Ghent.
The program happens once a month and 10 On Your Side was told that people hear about the program by word of mouth in the community.
Carol Crane has worked at Soaps N Suds for about three years. She sees the change in her customers because of Laundry Love. “People feel like when they have someone that cares for them and help them keep themselves clean they have more respect for themselves and others.”
Marguerite Alley is the deacon for Saint Andrews Church in Norfolk. She says she loves spreading love through laundry.
“It’s what we are called to do as people of faith, is to help each other, spend time with each other and get to know people who we wouldn’t normally spend time with.”
For Sheree Horton, the program helps her greatly.
“I am very grateful for that,” said Horton. “I come here to get help, because I need the extra help.”
Sheree says sometimes she can’t afford to pay for her laundry and it can cost her upwards of $70 for her family.
“We can go and save our money and buy some food or something with it,” Horton said. “It means the world for me to have clean clothes on our back, it feels good when we go home, we have clean clothes.”
More than 80 churches across the country are doing this for those in their community. To learn from about the Laundry Love program in Hampton Roads, contact Saint Andrews Episcopal Church in Norfolk at 757-622-5530.
