For as long as she could remember, Lucy hated doing laundry. Usually done on a weeknight after school, she would help her mom stuff everything that needed cleaned into big trash bags and then they’d spend hours, usually late into the night, washing and folding everything at the laundromat. These trips always made Lucy anxious and exhausted. Watching her mom, pained by having to spend money and time she didn’t have, going through this weekly ritual made the idea of wearing dirty clothes almost preferrable.
But when the family experienced a major financial downturn, laundry became an even bigger challenge. With mounting debt and unmet needs, Lucy’s mom couldn’t spare the time and money to go to the laundromat, so the task got pushed farther down on the “need to do” list. For Lucy, the real stress was no longer doing laundry—it was going to school in dirty clothes.
Thankfully, you gave Lucy and her family some much needed relief. You purchased a working washer and dryer for the family which was installed in their new rental home. Watching her mom start the first load in their new machine, Lucy felt something she hadn’t in a while: relief.
Now that laundry can be done at home on a regular basis, Lucy’s mom has more time and energy to devote to overcoming other challenges, such as getting a better job and engaging in family therapy. And Lucy’s learned that nothing feels better—or brings her more comfort—than when her mom hands her a towel and PJs warm and freshly washed after her shower.
Practical support like this does more than solve an immediate problem. Your support helps families, like Lucy’s, regain their footing and gives them the ability to focus on bigger goals, like healing and rebuilding their futures together.
