A few hours before her shift started at work Saturday, Brenda Buhl walked into a laundromat to wash her uniform and a few other clothes.
Buhl got a surprise: She would not need the $5 bill tucked into her back jeans pocket.
Members of Gateway Church in north Fort Worth, in partnership with a national initiative called the Laundry Project, provided free laundry services Saturday across Fort Worth and in Haltom City.
“This made my day,” said Buhl, who was washing her clothes at King Wash on the city’s north side. “You never know when you wake up in the morning where your blessings will come from.”
Members of Gateway converted five area laundromats into what they called “Community Centers of Hope,” where they helped low-income residents wash, dry and fold their clothes and provided quarters, snacks and supplies like soap and detergent.
Founded in 2008, the Laundry Project has assisted lower-income families in more than 20 cities across the country. The project is run by Current Initiatives, a Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing people to bring about change.
“People shouldn’t have to make a choice between groceries and clean clothes,” said Jason Sowell, founder and president of the nonprofit. “This is a really overlooked need for families. Something as simple as clean clothes can be a game-changer for people.”
Gateway Church came across the idea when members were looking for ways to connect with the community. On Saturday, the church estimated it would wash more than 700 loads of laundry for 200 to 300 families.
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SOURCE: SARAH BAHARI
The Star-Telegram
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