New outreach campaign aiming to provide laundry services to those in need

Rally Around Homelessness and Seaspray Laundry are partnering on a project to provide a free laundry service in North Central Regina. (CTV News)

Just over a month ago, Rally Around Homelessness launched their 'I Gotch You' campaign, which worked to provide new underwear to those in need. Now, the organization is taking the natural next step: helping people wash their clothes.

"The questions that many people asked is, how do we continue this? Providing fresh underwear and undergarments was amazing and is a huge need. But without laundry services, what do people do when they go through the fresh underwear?" said Erinn Paik, ambassador for Rally Around Homelessness.

Operation Fresh Start aims to provide a free laundry service in North Central Regina. Paik explained that it is a necessity many people take for granted.

"Not only specifically for homeless does it give dignity and confidence, but for many families, so many things that people like us don't think of on a day to day basis, like the spread of bacteria, parasites. How cleanliness affects our overall health. And laundry is health care,” she said.

The program is partnered with Seaspray Laundry, and staff explain that they are proud to help people gain some independence within their community.

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"What do they do with the old clothes when they're dirty? They disregard them because they don't have the facilities. So, I mean, most of us really don't think that way, right? And it kind of just hit me hard because it's like we're so fortunate for taking things for granted," Sherry Vester, manager of Seaspray Laundry said.

In terms of numbers, Paik explained that a little really does go a long way, with $7.50 buying one load of laundry.

"Which means $75 will buy ten loads, providing an entire family probably a month's worth of clean laundry," Paik said.

Paik went on to explain that the goal for September is 1,000 loads of laundry, which would be $7,500.

Monetary donations are the main focus as the program operates on a prepaid service with the laundromat, but donations of detergent are also accepted.

Donations can be made by connecting to Rally Around Homelessness via Facebook or emailing [e-mail].