A new way to serve our neighbors

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ow can we serve our neighbor? Do we even know the neighbors around us and what their needs are? Many folks provide great service in Kasson. Semcac works on food and nutritional needs in our community, as does St. Peter’s Episcopal Church with A Place at the Table. Salvation Army has proved to be a great resource in our community.
Another need that can add up during a month is the cost of doing laundry.
Recently a woman told me her washing machine broke down. She needed to do laundry for four people. By the time she was done washing and drying all their clothes, she had spent $50.
Many of us have the luxury of throwing our clothes into washers and dryers at home, and then going about other chores. Though laundry detergent can be expensive (and the machines themselves are expensive to buy), we may not think from week to week about how much this may cost a person who has to use a coin operated machine in an apartment building or at a laundromat.
Laundry Love is a nationwide non-profit organization that offers support to those who must use a laundromat or coin operated washer and dryer to do their laundry. With 287 sites across the United States, to date they have served 3 million people and washed 3.5 million loads of laundry. Laundry Love seeks to provide economic relief by providing individuals or families the option to redirect funds toward food, medicine, gas, transportation costs and other basic necessities.
There are three ingredients to Laundry Love: Love, Dignity and Detergent. Love is essential for life. Dignity means every human being is valued, honored and seen. Detergent — Fresh and clean feels good on everyone.
A small group of us are launching Laundry Love in Kasson. Our goal is to make everyone who walks into The Coin Laundry on Main Street in Kasson feel welcome. We ask only for a first name and the number of people in the household who are being supported with this service. No addresses. No questions about income. Anyone who walks through the door who wants to participate is welcome.
Free detergent and dryer sheets are available for those who want them. Individuals can receive machine tokens for up to $15 dollars; a household of two people can receive $25 worth of tokens; households of three or more can receive tokens up to $30.
One of the goals of Laundry Love is to strengthen our sense of community. Here is an opportunity to meet our neighbors, support their needs and create a space for support and welcome.
We are just getting started. Our first Laundry Love event in Kasson was on Tuesday, March 18. We served 16 people and provided funds for 57.5 loads of laundry. We have enough funding to finance our first few months. As time goes on, we will be looking for financial donations from the community. As we grow, we may have to expand our hours and thus we will need more volunteers.
I have been encouraged by how quickly a group of volunteers stepped forward to launch this project. If you are interested in more information, go to laundrylove.org and find more information or contact me at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kasson.
Laundry Love, The Coin Laundry, Main Street, Kasson, MN
Every 3rd Tuesday from5 p.m. — 8 p.m.