Southern California Gas Co. Thursday announced a $25,000 donation to The Laundry Truck LA to provide free laundry services and necessities to Los Angeles’ homeless, including the city’s 42 coronavirus relief centers.
The grant will help fund the purchase and furnishing of a second trailer to support the community’s rising demands for laundry services.
Landi Renzo USA, an alternative fuel technology company, announced it would also donate a truck equipped with the company’s proprietary compressed natural gas system to support the effort. The converted CNG Ford F-250 pickup will help The Laundry Truck LA expand its reach and lower its transportation costs by 30%.
The Laundry Truck LA, a nonprofit organization that provides free mobile laundry services for those in need throughout Los Angeles, expects to complete 15,600 loads of laundry in 2020.
“In this pandemic, it is more critical than ever that our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness gain access to basic needs, such as laundry services,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Without a vaccine, we all must maintain good hygiene and wash our clothes frequently. It is our best line of defense against this highly contagious virus.”
“Our community partners are providing loads of help and hope by stepping up to ensure individuals who lack stable housing will get their clothes cleaned through the free services offered by The Laundry Truck LA,” Solis said.
Gil Cedillo, councilmember of Los Angeles Council District 1, also praised the effort.
“As an early supporter and funder of The LA Laundry Truck to provide critical hygiene services to unhoused Angelenos in my district, I applaud SoCalGas for their community support by investing in the expansion of The LA Laundry Truck with $25,000 funding towards a new trailer and a new CNG truck to haul the trailer,” Cedillo said. “Together, we are united to provide mobile laundry service that meets the public health and personal welfare of unhoused Angelenos.”
Trisha Muse, director of community relations at SoCalGas, said, “This is an unprecedented time, and our homeless neighbors in Los Angeles County need our support more than ever.”
“Our partnership with Landi Renzo and The Laundry Truck LA not only allows us to serve our community but also the environment,” Muse said.
Andrea Landi, president of Landi Renzo USA, also spoke about the importance of helping out.
“This partnership is an amazing opportunity for us to be able to help and give back to our local community. We are pleased to partner with SoCalGas and The Laundry Truck to contribute in this unparalleled time of need,” Landi said.
“Our Ford F-250 truck with the Landi Renzo compressed natural gas system will help The Laundry Truck with their mobile services while lowering emissions, reducing their environmental impact, and decreasing their fuel costs,” she said.
Prior to this donation, The Laundry Truck LA served the community through a trailer furnished with five sets of washers and dryers, a folding station and water heater. Through the help of donations and partnerships, TLTLA is now expanding its operations to further assist the additional 6,000 beds the city of Los Angeles has committed to for the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We believe that essential personal care services like clean laundry can truly impact lives — especially at a time like this,” said Jodie Dolan, founder and owner of The Laundry Truck LA. “This generous donation from SoCalGas and Landi Renzo will allow us to provide these critical services to some of the most vulnerable Angelenos.”