Arizona laundromat offers free haircuts, meals to those in need
Federal funding enables Social Spin to offer #WashWithCare Wednesdays to hundreds of families and individuals
(Photo by Jenny Carrillo)
Social Spin transforms once a week from an Arizona laundromat that washes and dries clothes to a gathering place with free services for those who need it most.
A barber sets up in the corner, using clippers to shape a fresh style for a young boy. Guests consider the free meal options. And quarters are neatly stacked for the two complimentary loads of laundry each customer is permitted that day.
The walls are colorfully painted with slogans like “Connecting Community” and “Providing Fresh Starts.”
A barber offers free cuts on Wednesdays in a corner of the laundromat. (Photo by Jenny Carrillo)
#WashWithCare Wednesdays, supported by money from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act, is putting Social Spin’s mission as a purpose-driven laundromat into action for the hardworking communities of Phoenix, Mesa and even rural Maricopa County.
‘We’re making a difference’
Brittney Byrd, Social Spin’s director of care and partnerships, knows many of the regulars by name.
A large percentage do not have a permanent home, most are low-income and some have arrived on the doorsteps straight from a domestic violence shelter, saddled with a host of challenges including bags of unwashed clothing.
“A lot of people don’t see the importance of clean clothes,” Byrd said. But children and adults can face school bullying or diminished job prospects, as well as low self-confidence, if they can’t regularly wash their clothes, she said.
“We’re making a difference, even if it’s small. And I like the community aspect of it. A lot of our customers know each other,” Byrd said.
Social Spin Foundation Chief Changemaker Glynda Henderson (left) and Social Spin, Inc. Founder and Owner Christy Moore (right)
Free laundry available through $1.5 million American Rescue Plan grant
Christy Moore launched Social Spin in 2017.
The #WashWithCare program includes a six-day-a-week pick-up and delivery route for individuals who can’t get out of the house due to illness, disability or age, including in rural areas such as Tonopah.
“The service is great at the Phoenix and Mesa locations if you’re able to access it. But if you’re (health) compromised, you can’t,” Moore said. “We’re working hard to sustain that funding because we get texts throughout the day from people who can’t move because of their oxygen levels.”
The $1.5 million federal American Rescue Plan grant allowed Social Spin to launch the in-laundromat programming — which also includes a cardio-focused Movement Monday, offering participants funds for two free loads if they do the workout — and the delivery route, which typically involves the homebound residents preparing bags of clothes for pick-up.
Green Loan Fund finances hybrid electric van to save Social Spin thousands
Social Spin’s drivers clock about 300 miles a day on the road, which was costing the organization thousands in gas costs.
A sign at Social Spin offering free workout classes and library cards
But recently the laundromat upgraded to a more reliable and fuel-efficient, hybrid electric Toyota Sienna, thanks to $10,000 from Local First Arizona’s Green Loan Fund.
The low-interest loan program, supported by Growth Partners Arizona, a community development financial institution, helps small businesses afford sustainability upgrades without shelling out money upfront.
The assistance meant Social Spin’s finances didn’t skip a beat.
The laundromat went from a vehicle that burned 18 miles per gallon of gas and needed constant repairs to one that averages 36 miles per gallon.
“The gas bill each month was more than $1,000 alone,” Moore said. “We’re able to pay the loan with just the savings from the gasoline and car maintenance.”
‘I’ve found my passion in life: Helping people’
The savings mean Social Spin can keep on spinning, supporting the community’s most vulnerable, while also keeping clothes and linens clean for local non-profits, businesses and residential customers.
Henderson (right) and Brittney Byrd (left), Social Spin’s director of care and partnerships
Clients who can afford to pay for services often donate pallets of water and secondhand clothes for drivers to distribute to others.
Glynda Henderson, chief changemaker for the Social Spin Foundation, which manages the laundromat’s philanthropy, has seen the difference the program makes for its participants. And it brings her to tears.
One man’s transformation left an imprint on Henderson.
The man showered. He got his first haircut in two years. And he put on clean clothes.
“He was walking straighter,” Henderson said. “It means a lot to people. I am no longer retired. I’ve found my passion in life. It’s helping people.”
Learn more about free grant writing from Local First’s Economic Resource Center at localfirstaz.com/economic-resource-center and Green Loan Fund to affordably finance sustainability upgrades at localfirstaz.com/microloans.
The American Rescue Plan Act was a stimulus package passed by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was signed into law in March of 2021 by President Joe Biden to aid in the country’s economic recovery.
