Laundromat industry leader, Laundry Capital, the owner of 80 mega stores operating throughout the U.S., with its highest concentration of laundromats located in Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx, announced its joint funding program between its Clean Rite locations and United Community Schools (UCS).
The partnership puts pre-paid laundry cards in the hands of UCS students and their families, which can be used toward washers and dryers or the purchase of detergent at a Clean Rite laundromat in their neighborhood, assisting with this basic self-care necessity. UCS uses City Council funding to pay for laundry cards, with a portion of the cards funded by Clean Rite.
“We take a lot of things for granted,” says school counselor Robin Chapman-Rodriguez of Curtis High School on Staten Island, the school that launched this pilot program. “Laundry cards are just one small thing that can help a family. And if a family is struggling, that’s major. If students can come to school with clean clothes, smelling good, that builds such self-esteem.”
The United Federation of Teachers and its 32 United Community Schools, working with Mary Anne Semon, community engagement consultant for Clean Rite/Laundry Capital, are hopeful this laundry program will be supported by more city funding throughout the boroughs with Clean Rite’s pledge to sponsor a portion of these cards.
Clean Rites Centers’ commitment to the neighborhoods they serve was felt most recently with a donation of 150 laundry cards to the tenants of the Bronx Twin Parks fire tragedy. The cards were distributed to the families by the Office of state Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia.
One hundred and tweenty-five laundry cards at a value of $40 each were donated to the Safe In My Brothers Arms (S.I.M.B.A.) and All Sisters Evolving Together (A.S.E.T.), programs that provide support to high school students living in homeless shelters/temporary housing. Clean Rite Center partnered with the New York City Department of Education to create this initiative.
For more information on partnership opportunities and donations, please contact Mary Anne Semon, community engagement consultant, at masemon@
