St. Andrew's Laundry Ministry,  Albany,  NY

For homeless, disabled or low-income persons, just washing your clothes each week can be an overwhelming challenge.  Even in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, New York's capital, there are many who are struggling to get by.   St. Andrew's Episcopal Church has responded to this need by offering the ministry of free laundry at a local laundromat two evenings a month.  The response from our neighbors has been gratifying, even overwhelming!   But we, in turn, need your help in order to continue to serve others and to expand this ministry.

Our ministry is this:  every second and fourth Wednesday evenings of the month, volunteers from St. Andrew's show up at the Supreme Laundromat on Central Avenue, near the church.  We bring snacks, laundry detergent and supplies, and offer to pay for up to three loads of wash.  We visit with the guests, respond to their concerns, and pray with them if they desire it.  Our regulars include disabled and low-income, as well as homeless individuals and even local college students needing our help.   Some of these same people have joined with us at our monthly neighborhood dinners, and have even shown up to Sunday services!

We recently moved the ministry to our present location from a smaller and less accessible laundromat.  With this move we gained more clients - and are able to reach more of our neighbors in need.  We average between 25 to 30 guests each laundry event, which works out to about 60 laundry loads, washed and dried.  Expenses for each event, then, are about $350, including detergent and other washing supplies. Will you help us keep pace with our expanding ministry by making a donation, in any amount?

 In return for your tax deductible contribution, we will send you regular news and updates on the progress and increase of our laundry ministry.  And we ask your prayers for our volunteers and laundry guests.