On the first day of Clean 2022 in Atlanta, the LaundryCares Foundation hosted a free luncheon, on the heels of its popular morning educational session on how to leverage community engagement for social impact and profit.
Attendees to this luncheon event further discovered specific ways to connect with their communities via Free Laundry & Literacy Days, learned about corporate social responsibility, and heard first-hand testimonials from laundromat owners who have experienced – and benefitted – from these opportunities.
LaundryCares’ Liz McChesney shared some of the key data on the importance of early childhood literacy, and why reaching kids in underserved communities is so critical.
“The studies back it up,” she explained. “The more time children can spend on sustained literacy activity, the more prepared they will be for school and life. The right book with the right child at the right moment can be transformative.”
The luncheon also featured a number of first-hand testimonials from laundromat owners who have held Free Laundry & Literacy Days at their locations.
New Jersey owner Alaa El-Banna was amazed at the personal impact of the event.
“The stories, the gratitude and the smiling faces are great,” he said. “But it also impacted my own family. Having my own kids to take part in these events and the impact it had on them is what really touched me the most. It’s a win-win all around.”
“When you are doing something good within the community, it’s contagious,” explained Yvette Morton Williams of Wash & Spin Coin Laundry in Atlanta, who held a Free Laundry & Literacy Day event at her store on the eve of Clean 2022.
Chicago multi-store owner Paul Hansen put it succinctly: “LaundryCares’ events are good for business, and they’re good for the heart as well.”
Luncheon attendees also heard from LaundryCares Executive Vice President Dan Naumann, who detailed the organization’s Free Laundry Day events, as well as the Read, Play and Learn Centers the organization has available for laundromat owners to help transform their stores.
He noted that the group’s childhood literacy program features an initial 50-book startup package, a one-year subscription for new books, and a connection to local literacy professionals.
“Let’s face it, the laundry industry can be a little bit boring,” admitted LaundryCares Chair Brian Grell of Eastern Funding. “LaundryCares changed me. This is where I get my energy. It’s my charging station. It provided me with a new mission and a new purpose – and giving back feels great.”
The day also included a number of LaundryCares awards to recognize outstanding service on behalf of the charitable group. Individuals honored included Bob Eisenberg, Jeff Gardner, Harvey Gitlin, Jane Park, Jim Whitmore and Becca Ruidl. In addition, partner organizations recognized were Eastern Funding, Lakeshore Learning, Spector Textile and Too Small to Fail.
