CLEVELAND — Last year, shined a light on many disparities in struggling communities across Ohio, but one issue that might get overlooked is access to clean clothing and laundry supplies.
While stacking and handing out bags full of cleaning supplies, Ashley Evans believes she’s helping fill a need in this neighborhood.
“We don’t have really many places to go within a 10 to 15-minute drive to be able to access decent materials,” Evans said.
It’s an issue that became personal for Evans when she was a middle school teacher and found out a devastating reason why one of her students was absent.
“Coming to school, I found out that it was difficult for him because he often didn’t have clean clothes to come to school. Something that I could have never imagined was a reason.”
Graves is one of the founding members of the Woodhill Community Co-op.
It started a couple of years ago after a needs assessment found that people did not have access to laundry. At events like this pop-up, people can get cleaning supplies, PPE and even food. The co-op is full of like-minded people motivated to help.
“It just comes from being a part of the community. It comes from understanding a lot of what the community has gone through either by actual practical application, being in those situations or by observing,” Evans said.
Marilyn Burns has lived in the Woodhill area for 17 years and said COVID-19 only made the issues the co-op addresses worse.
“The disparities here at a red line area, as you know, are high. And so there are a lot of issues we address. It’s not just laundry, it’s transportation, it’s safety.”
In the long line of those getting supplies, Brian Beard is happy for those stepping up.
“We’ve been alright with the situation with COVID and everything, so everybody’s been a good community as far as coming together and just making sure that everybody is safe,” Beard said.
Morgan Bulger, another founding member, said this is a way to get needs directly to residents.
“A lot of initiatives are very complicated and sometimes what people need is very simple. And being able to meet something that’s very simple and like direct need through mutual aid is something that’s very powerful,” Bulger said.
Other founding members like Morgan Ford said they love seeing community members work together.
“The energy of the project that’s happening down here, it’s a great opportunity to see that the community has re-investment through the cooperative,” Ford said.
The long-term goal of the co-op is to get a community-funded laundromat. But until then, members like Evans will keep recruiting and supplying until every piece of clothing in the community is clean.
“We’ve found some real friendships and connection. Other than that, being able to give back and see hope and light in your community just by way of being able to work for something positive is completely amazing.”
