Carbondale Laundry Project
The First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale, Illinois, The Sparrow Coalition, and the Carbondale Interfaith Council started the Carbondale Laundry Project in November 2019 to address needs of people who are homeless or otherwise need assistance with their laundry. The Laundry Project offers a free laundry day once a month at Laundry World in Carbondale, Illinois.
The Laundry Project volunteers provide quarters for the washers and dryers, laundry detergent, and dryer sheets, plus coffee and snacks. In four months, the project provided $1,034.75—all in quarters. This is over 50 pounds of quarters. Nearly all of this money has come from individuals and organizations in the community. The project typically goes through over $225 in quarters and serves over thirty people each month.
One woman receiving help said that the free laundry day helps when many folks find themselves in a cycle of poverty that seems designed to keep them entrapped. She said she came in November to wash her clothes and ended up attending First Presbyterian. Now she volunteers with the project as well.
Jane Swanson, a member of First Presbyterian, said she had made some good friends in the community and has learned more about the survival needs and skills of her neighbors on the margin.
To learn more about mission, see The PCUSA Mission Yearbook.
Matthew 25:34-40
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,a you did it to me.
a Gk these my brothers
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
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