Giving Hope Through Laundry and Literacy
by Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director – United Way of Charlotte County
A laundromat has a soothing sound. There are the sounds from the washing machines and dryers, swishing and humming. There is the buzzing from the fluorescent lights. There is the occasional conversation across the room. It would never be considered the most exciting place to spend a Saturday morning, but it could be considered somewhat peaceful.
On Saturday, August 27, the SuperMatt Laundromat in Port Charlotte had a different set of sounds. I heard laughter and questions and stories. And when I listened carefully to how those sounds blended together, I am pretty sure I heard the sound of hope.
Despite any differences you and I might have, we all share a need for clean clothes. Truly, laundry is one of the few things that can unite a community. The Patterson Foundation, in partnership with The Laundry Project, and as part of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, gathers volunteers and community organizations to give the gift of laundry and the gift of literacy at surprise events across the region. These Pop-Up Neighbor Through Laundry events include free laundry, snacks, community resources and celebrity story time for the kids.
In the sounds that morning, I heard JOY in the voice of a woman being connected to housing resources. I saw JOY on a child’s face whose teacher showed up, also doing laundry. On the mother’s face relief that there are those who can help her struggling reader.
The event successfully served 44 families for a total of 392 loads of laundry. Many community partners came together for something that seems so small – a morning of free laundry. The United Way of Charlotte County, Florida Department of Health (DOH) Charlotte County, All Faiths Food Bank, Lizzy the Literacy Bus - Leadership Charlotte Class of 2019, Charlotte County Libraries & History, Charlotte County Public Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, Charlotte County Healthy Start Coalition, Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlotte County, Kids Thrive!, Jesus Loves You Ministry, Inc., Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
In addition to the laundry and books, referrals were made such as connections to Habitat for Humanity, rental assistance with Season of Sharing and job connections.
Kim Amontree, Charlotte County School Board, joined us as one of our celebrity readers, spending time with children who were in attendance over a good book. “I enjoy participating in the Pop-Up Laundry event because it’s a unique way of connecting with our neighbors,” Kim said. “I especially appreciate the opportunity to read to the children.” Ashley Guerzo, youth librarian at Charlotte County Libraries reported, “I loved connecting with the children who attended, introducing them to the library, making a craft, reading, and helping them pick out the perfect book to keep.”
One woman shared she was going to take her husband on a date with the extra money. One woman has five children and when her washing machine broke she was left with multiple weekly trips to the laundromat to keep their athletic clothes clean. And yet another lifted her arms high and exclaimed --- “This is GLORIOUS!”
I saw surprised smiles that day. Pure HOPE has a smile when hard choices are made and surprise lightens the load. Surely every volunteer heard hope in every thank you as was evidenced by their smiles.
One Facebook commenter upon seeing the smiling faces from the day summed it up best---- “Love looks like something. Love looks like clean clothes and kindness.”
If you would like to offer up a heaping bountiful of hope with events like this in the future, send me an email at director@unitedwayccfl.org
For more information about United Way of Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty, please contact Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director at 941-627-3539.