BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. — For families without a stable place to live, clean clothes can be hard to come by. A Brunswick County nonprofit is raising money for a new mobile laundry trailer to continue offering free washes.
Tina Bowen, who runs Suds of Love, said the current truck has about 300,000 miles on it. The nonprofit is asking its 3,500 Facebook followers to donate $10 each toward replacing its current truck.
Bowen said the trailer has more washers and dryers than the truck. It also does not use diesel fuel, and its tires are less expensive, she said.
“It’s easier on the body getting up and down,” Bowen said.
The fundraising request comes as Brunswick County’s population grows.
Bowen said some people who come to Brunswick County end up living in their cars. She recalled meeting a couple from West Virginia who were living in a vehicle with their baby after pulling off the main highway.
“I said, ‘What are you coming down here for?’ They said we just thought we’d come and live down here,” Bowen said.
Bowen said 190 children in the area lack stable housing.
“They may be couch surfing, living in their car, living in hotels, living in the woods,” Bowen said.
Children have told volunteers their coats smell good after they are washed, Bowen said.
Suds of Love also provides hygiene kits with items such as toothbrushes and lotion, Bowen said. The nonprofit delivers supplies to schools and communities and has donated washer and dryer sets to several schools and communities across southeastern North Carolina.
Bowen said funding is the main challenge as the organization grows.
“The sky’s the limit when it comes to serving people,” she said. “Of course, funding is the issue, but the need is always met. You just got to go out and beg.”
To learn more about the nonprofit’s mission and how to get involved, click here.
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