Having clean clothes is a basic need, but not everyone can afford it. Melissa Power, founder of For the Love of Laundry, has been there as a single mom.
“Working with one income was sometimes a huge struggle. We didn’t always have enough money at the end of the month to do certain things and some things had to wait,” she explains.
“It was something that I never really ever forgot about. Where I am in my life now, if I have the chance to give back I wanted to give back. ”
Power sells handmade laundry detergent and dish soap at farmers markets. She then uses the money towards hosting free events for people to do their laundry.
She says usually about 30 people show up to the free laundry days, and adds the most recent one at a Hamilton Road Laundromat saw 74 finished loads of laundry.
“The people that come in to our events are very thankful. They tell me that without that service, they don’t know what they would do. They would just wouldn’t be able to have the extra money at the end of the month to pay for their laundry.”
She adds people are happy to use her products to wash their kids’ clothes, knowing they are all natural and eco-friendly.
“A lot of people that have cloth diapers feel comfortable enough to use our product on the cloth diapers that they use for their families,” Power says, “They’re really moving more towards an eco-friendly product.”
For the Love of Laundry will have a business launch at the Pathways Skills Campus on 239 Clarence Street. The event runs from 4 to 6 p.m on January 27.
