Today’s Laundry Owners Are Strengthening Their Local Ties and Making a Difference Through Neighborhood Outreach and Community Engagement Initiatives
As a laundromat owner, engaging with the neighborhoods you serve is not only about building a successful business, but also about contributing positively to those communities.
It will enhance your relationships with your customers, improve your business’ reputation, and lead to sustainable growth through a deeper understanding of local needs and preferences.
But, most importantly, it will make a difference to those who need it most.
Here are some laundry operators who are making a big difference in their communities:
Mike and Kathy Reppart
Wash This Way Laundry Center
Abilene, Texas
Our fundamental purpose for opening our laundries was to provide our community with respectable facilities. We wanted those who depend on access to a laundromat to have a place that treated them with some dignity and respect.
Once we got our first store established, we initiated an endeavor with some of the social service entities in Abilene. We partnered with them to provide free laundry services for some of their clients. The agency assesses the client need and issues them a voucher, which is presented by the client at our facilities in exchange for a laundry card. These vouchers generally range from $5 to $15 (some larger with special needs). This has been a great benefit for the agencies to add to their services. We started with four or five agencies initially. To date, we are working with a dozen of them.
The list of participants includes the local school district and their efforts to assist students with clothing needs. The vouchers allow for students and families to maintain the provided clothing. Some of the agencies are faith-based; others are government-funded; and others like The Salvation Army are non-profit, charity-based, and community-sponsored.
Another effort we’ve made has been working with some community events. For example, we wash player uniforms for two local high school basketball tournaments. We do this in exchange for some publicity, but our aim is to assist in making the events more attractive to draw participants. However, we receive many compliments on this endeavor, and it has helped get our name out into the community.
Another similar endeavor has been in conjunction with the Texas State High School Rodeo Championships. Abilene hosts this annual event, which brings about 700 student-athletes and their families to our community for eight to nine days, which has a positive economic impact on our community. We were asked to set up a booth and offer wash-dry-fold services for contestant families – again, to enhance the event and help assure that Abilene can remain the site of this event in the future.
The business volume generated from the rodeo has grown within the last few years and has netted us some added revenue. In addition, some of the participants use our self-service facilities and are given a discount on vended services.
Another community involvement effort is providing a discount on laundering table linens for charity dinner events held by various groups and organizations, which can range from supporting the arts to fighting human trafficking.
Of course, there also are the typical community outreach initiatives such as youth sports teams and other youth activity sponsorships. We usually keep that limited to activities in which our staff and family members participate.
Those are a few of the endeavors in which we take part. There are other occasional efforts and still others in the making. Currently, we’re trying to partner with an entity that helps those with employment challenges.
Brad and Pauline Seegmiller
LaundroLab North Austin
Austin, Texas
A few of our initial community outreach programs are as follows:
- In partnership with The LaundryCares Foundation, we provide free children’s books in our store’s dedicated Family Read, Play & Learn Center.
- A few times per year we host free laundry events, some of which are in partnership with Current Initiatives to help low-income families.
- We created a laundry voucher program to support families at nearby elementary schools that are faced with choosing between clean clothes or buying groceries.
The dream of having a business that gives back to the community stems back to Brad’s childhood involvement in Boy Scouts. We believe that our commitment to community engagement aligns perfectly with LaundroLab’s mission and values. Just like we strive to create an excellent customer experience, we also want to enhance the community.
Through our partnership with LaundryCares, we provide free children’s books in our store’s dedicated Read, Play & Learn space, which has been greatly appreciated by our customers with families. We encourage the kids to take books home with them. And we’ve had a lot of people donate books as well – so we encourage kids to take more than one.
In addition, thanks to the support of Current Initiatives and their volunteers, we’ve been able to grow the amount of free laundry we process for low-income families during our free laundry events to more than 26,000 pounds with the last year.
Presently, we offer a laundry voucher program to support families in need at nearby elementary schools. Also, on Veterans Day, we offer free laundry for all veterans.
And, once our machine payment system’s app is updated to enable us to offer customer discounts, we plan to provide regular discounts for veterans, students, and seniors. We also plan to collaborate with our local fire department to offer CPR and fire safety classes a couple of times per year in our store’s community corner.
The elementary schools we partner with have helped spread the word about our free laundry events to literally hundreds of families, which as increased our exposure to those who had not yet learned about our business. In fact, one school invited us to have a table at their community day event, where a lot of new families learned about us.
For other laundromat owners looking to get involved with their communities, just know that there are so many existing philanthropic organizations out there that are in great need of laundry services.
Brian Harrington
Everything Clean Laundromat
Elgin, Ill.
At Everything Clean Laundromat, our goal is to have the business help the community.
For instance, we work with special needs students and conduct weekly classes during the school year to assist these students in life skills. The students work on any clothing left behind by customers, which processes out after 30 days. The students wash, dry, and fold all of the laundry and then separate it into categories to donate to local animal shelters, women’s crisis centers and Goodwill. For us, this represents a full circle of giving back to our community.
We have teamed up with several community groups. One of our original partners is the Elgin Partnership for Early Learning, which is dedicated to sharpening reading skills for kids in preschool through elementary school. They donate books and host literacy events that bring young children to our location – and new business to our laundromat while the children are busy reading and learning.
Another related partner is School District U46, one of the largest school districts in Illinois. In addition to our special needs program, we have created another group called the “U46givemefive” program, where we invite teachers to come to the laundromat and read English- and Spanish-language books to young children.
Another group we support is the Women’s Crisis Center of Elgin. We donates all types of clothing, bedding and towels for women trying to get a new start on life.
Recently, we became involved in a great new program called Stroll Thornwood, which is a neighborhood connection for businesses and communities with quality services and family-safe locations. We’re honored to be partnering with them.
We’ve also hosted local events such as one where community crafters sold their hand-made works at our store, and we provided gift cards for discounted laundry service to all attendees. Moreover, through our partnership with another local program, each month we provide a group of homeless individuals with laundry cards in order to wash their clothes for free.
All in all, word of mouth is the name of the game. My team is successful because of our constant outreach to our customers and community. Perhaps the biggest highlight comes from our special needs program, which is run by my wife, Donna, who also is our general manager. This program truly brings life skills to a group of children and young adults – teaching them with patience and love.
Each week features a different skill, which is incorporated into a new daily task. The instructors who come with the students are always amazed at what we have to offer with regard to life skills learning. In fact, the teachers have told Donna that similar programs at other organizations often teach the students very little; however, they all look forward to going to the laundromat.
The best advice for other laundromat owners is to create an open floor plan for your customers. Have a place for children to play, color, and learn, while mom and dad do the laundry. Reach out to those organizations within your community that can use a hand up – there are such groups in every community.
Jeimy Flournoy
809 Laundromat
Hyattsville, Md.
I was motivated to initiate community engagement efforts through my business, because I believe in giving back to the community that has given me so much. Owning 809 Laundromat and Salon 809, a Dominican hair salon, enables me to provide valuable services to an underserved community. There aren’t many clean and professional laundromats in the area, and I want to fill that gap.
By partnering with organizations like Fabric Health and offering free laundry services to the homeless, as well as hosting community days, we aim to foster a sense of togetherness and support. This aligns with my mission and values of uplifting and serving the community, ensuring everyone has access to essential services in a welcoming and professional environment.
809 Laundromat partners with Fabric Health to extend healthcare access to families waiting at the laundromat. For example, Fabric Health has helped our customers complete applications for benefits like food stamps and schedule doctors with in-network providers. They also sponsor free laundry events and give away free children’s books.
We actively encourage community involvement through a variety of events and initiatives. For example, we recently hosted a “Read by Author” event featuring an African American author, where parents were offered free laundry services and laundry bags. This event not only promoted literacy and celebrated local talent, but also provided practical support to local families. In addition, we host community days with games, food, and entertainment to bring everyone together. These events are designed to create a sense of belonging and support within our community, aligning with our commitment to giving back and fostering a positive environment.
Our partnership with Fabric Health launched during the Medicaid redetermination process, during which more than 22 million Americans were disenrolled from Medicaid – with 69 percent of these disenrollments being for “procedural reasons,” meaning they were still eligible for Medicaid but didn’t properly complete the paperwork in time.
With Fabric Health, we’ve educated laundromat customers about Medicaid redetermination timelines and helped them complete the paperwork to remain insured. This is critical for many of our customers at a time when more than half of U.S. adults report they’ve gone into debt due to medical or dental bills.
We leverage social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to foster connections with our local community and keep them informed about our business and community initiatives. Through our content, we showcase events, highlight community involvement, and share updates about our services.
For instance, we will post videos and photos from our community days, author events, and partnerships with organizations like Fabric Health. We also use these platforms to interact with our audience, gather feedback, and create a sense of community online. By consistently sharing our efforts and achievements, we ensure that our community stays informed and feels connected to our mission of giving back and supporting those around us.
A great example of our mission is a single mom of two who shared that she had been unable to afford treatment of a chronic condition for her daughter. As a recent immigrant to the U.S., she didn’t know how health insurance worked in this country. We educated her about health insurance options available to her, explaining terminology like “coinsurance” and “copays.” After we helped her and her children get insured, we explained the distinction between an in-network and out-of-network doctor, helping her pick in-network providers so that her family members could get the care they needed.
Mark Csordos
Washing Well
Old Bridge, N.J.
We engage with the community in several ways. After all, we live and shop in the area, so it only makes sense to have outreach to our customer base. We often see our customers at the grocery store, the library, and so on. I was driving through town and honked to one of our regular customers who was putting out her garbage. Those little gestures matter.
With that said, we’ve partnered with the local library to put books in our store that the library donates – and that our customers can keep. It’s mostly children’s books, and this program has been well-received.
We’re also active members of the Chamber of Commerce. Last year, we hosted two events associated with the Chamber, including a networking function. This winter, we want to team up with the Chamber for a sock drive for needy families and the homeless.
In addition, this summer, we have a couple of students interning with us from the local high school as part of a life skills program. I’m completely open to any group that would want to partner with us for a fundraiser.
This September, we’re going to work with several schools to offer teachers a discount on our pickup-and-delivery service. Also, we will pick up and deliver at set times right to the school. For example, we might pick up their laundry at the school on Tuesday and bring it back on Wednesday, so they don’t have to worry about the hassle of doing laundry.
Although I can’t put an exact dollar amount on our community outreach, customers have told us how much they appreciate the little “library” at our store, as well as the fact that we’re members of the Chamber of Commerce. I believe it definitely helps us when we make a mistake – customers are more likely to give us the benefit of the doubt, because they know we’re trying to do the right thing for the community.
Many people want to support local businesses, but you have to give them a reason – you have to earn that support. When they see you helping local charities, schools, etc., they know you’re giving back to the customer base that you’re asking to support your business.
Dan Marrazzo
Laundry Depot of Penndel
Penndel, Pa.
We opened our first store in 1989, and my distributor back then was Dick Adams of AC Power. I think he felt sorry for me, coming out of the construction business and starting an unknown career in the laundry industry.
He recommended I offer free wash the first week I was open, free dry the second week, and free soap the third week. Having no money when I opened due to an extensive buildout, I thought he was crazy.
Nevertheless, I did it. And that’s was when I first discovered the power of philanthropy.
Customers swarmed the store and were extremely appreciative, wanting to meet the new owner. In fact, business was so good that our water service proved to be too small, so we upgraded it to keep up with the demand.
Since that initial grand opening, we’ve built more than 20 stores for ourselves and others. And we continue supporting our local communities each year through free laundry days. Additionally, having a larger budget these days, we’ve since incorporated free food and several giveaways.
When my son joined the company several years ago, we were able to enhance the menu at these events with the culinary talents he brings to the table, as well as a soft-serve ice cream machine.
Ten years ago, I was approached by a woman in one of my stores. She represented an organization called Advocates for the Homeless and Those in Need and asked if we could provide a reduced cost to the residents of their shelter who were in need of laundry service. I said we’d try to do it for free as long as we could handle the costs. And a decade later, we’re still providing free laundry to the homeless in our neighborhood.
Eleven years ago, I remarked to my then 24-year-old son that our traditional Christmas celebrations just weren’t the same since the passing of his grandmother, who would not stand for anything short of full attendance at Christmas dinner – and it was a dinner that would put most restaurants to shame in both quantity and quality.
To bring back the Christmas magic, I came up with the idea to host a Christmas dinner for the local homeless and anyone else who had nowhere to go for the holiday. My son agreed to this idea, and I immediately contacted Advocates for the Homeless to see if such a Christmas dinner was a need in the community.
The director thought it was a great idea, explaining that they couldn’t host such a dinner since the churches were occupied. But we had a 6,000-square-foot office/warehouse space that we converted into a dining hall – which accommodated 65 people for that very first Christmas dinner. Last year, we served 180 holiday celebrants.
There are two reasons to hold these events. The capitalist approach is that it will increase your revenue, and it will. But the more rewarding reason is the personal satisfaction you’ll have serving others.
I’m often singled out in public setting as the “laundry guy” who helps the neighborhood. I have one woman who came to our first store when my son was still in a stroller; she’s still a customer, and he’s 34 now.
I could go on forever explaining the satisfaction I’ve enjoyed giving back to the local community. However, I received a letter years ago from a woman who attended our Christmas dinners that says it better than I can. She wrote: “Dear Mr. Marrazzo – Before your Christmas dinners, I was either able to cook a dinner for my family or provide my children with gifts. Now that we attend your dinner, I can do both!”
That is so much more powerful than a handful of money. And the wonderful aspect of it all is that, if you serve your community from the heart, you won’t need to worry about money.
Jamie Sewell
Clean Vibes Laundry
Tampa, Fla.
Community engagement is one of the key reasons I wanted to own a laundromat. There are few businesses that get to serve such a broad slice of the community in the same way that laundromats do, making it a wonderful opportunity to have a positive impact.
Since I’m running my Tampa store remotely from Columbus, Ohio, I haven’t been able to execute on some of the programs I want to do just yet, but I’m making progress. I’ve broken down my community initiatives into two phases – with Phase 1 in place now, and Phase 2 to come.
Phase 1 of our community engagement includes:
- Partnering with nearby schools.
- Providing laundry services to the local chapter of a national nonprofit.
- Partnering with the city police department.
- Hosting a Laundry Project event.
- Teaching children about financial literacy.
- Joining the Chamber of Commerce.
Phase 2 will include:
- Building out specific events and programs that align with my three key areas of focus.
- Engaging with my professional network and bringing community partners into the laundromat for various events.
- Serving the local community through other events and initiatives (outside of the laundromat).
There is so much need in the community and so many benefits to engaging with the community, even if those benefits cannot be totally tied back to revenue. Seeing those needs is what inspires me to take action. There are three key initiatives that I am focused on: well-being, clean clothes for school, and financial literacy.
Well-being: I’m a certified yoga instructor and occasionally lead workshops on well-being. Before I even bought my laundromat, I had a vision of teaching yoga to laundromat customers and offering well-being workshops. Of all things, this is the top factor that inspired me to buy a laundromat. I haven’t been able to offer yoga classes and workshops yet, since I don’t live near my store, but hope to roll them out later this year. Particularly with populations that have more health challenges like obesity or diabetes, there is a huge knowledge gap when it comes to healthy living and finding safe, beneficial exercises for all body types.
Clean clothes for school: In addition to promoting well-being, I want to make sure that children don’t miss school due to a lack of clean clothes. I served on the board of a nonprofit called Friends of the Children, which aims to disrupt the cycle of generational poverty, one child at a time. Some of the children in that program didn’t have consistent access to clean clothes for school. School is so important, particularly for children who have many challenges to overcome. I never want clean clothes to be the reason that a child doesn’t go to school, so I provide free laundry cards to children within the program who need it. I also partner with nearby schools on similar initiatives.
Financial literacy: The other need I’ve seen from laundromat customers over the years is a need for financial education. When opening a completely cashless laundromat in 2017, it opened my eyes to how many customers are unbanked or underbanked. This is, of course, a huge issue that impacts a massive segment of the population. There is a local organization that teaches children about money that I work with, and they have a children’s book called “The Four Money Bears.” I have these books in my laundromat and hope it is the first of many resources I can provide to help families learn to better manage their finances.
For the most part, the partnerships I have in place have evolved organically over the years. I’m a natural connector, so now that I’ve opened a laundromat, I automatically assess where I can create partnerships to help my customers. I’ve worked with the Laundry Project for many years in different capacities, so it was a natural evolution for them to hold an event at our grand opening. There is a financial benefit to hosting an event with the Laundry Project, but the bigger benefit is being able to serve customers in a greater way. Their volunteers are truly a blessing and are able to love on our customers and brighten everyone’s day.
Developing a relationship with our local community police officer also has been beneficial. Cultivating this relationship has made it easier for us to establish partnerships with nearby schools, and he points us in the right direction anytime we need something.
We also receive requests from local community groups to come into the laundromat for a few hours to support our customers through their initiatives. This has all happened organically since we renovated our laundromat and enhanced our web presence. Operating a good business with a good brand has a way of opening up opportunities that you might not think of on your own.
At Clean Vibes, we’ve partnered with Friends of the Children, as well as local schools, to provide free laundry cards to children who need clean clothes. This is not a tremendous cost to us, and it opens doors to further partnerships down the road.
Due to the local partnerships we’ve established with area schools, the Tampa Police Department recently decided it wanted to host its own Laundry Project event at our laundromat. So, we will have another Laundry Project event coming to the store later this summer. I didn’t know that two of our partners had their own partnership together, so it’s cool to see the community connections coming full circle.
The best advice I can offer is to follow the need and see what speaks to your heart. We all have unique experiences, gifts, and connections. If you want to use your laundry business to better engage your community, assess what resources you have (knowledge, tools, or relationships) and how you might be able to serve your customers. Ideas are always plentiful, but when inspiration hits… that’s where the magic happens.
