By Chad Frey
Newton Kansan
Jacob Easley of Newton was stuffing some clothes into a washing machine on Wednesday night when he paused for a moment to express his thanks for the opportunity.
“It is crucial,” Easley said. “A lot of us are still in poverty, there are a lot of families in this community that can benefit from this.”
He was talking about “Laundry of Love,” a once-a-month meeting at Sunshine Laundry at 1800 W. First Street. Normally on one Thursday night a month, the meet-up was changed this week for the Taste of Newton.
In 2016 Easley graced the pages of the Newton Kansan as “The Kansas Cow Man,” spending his days trying to entertain downtown drivers by dancing in a cow costume on Main Street. His career included heading to the state fair. He again found his way into print in 2017 as a circle leader and graduate of Circles of Hope, a program hosted by Peace Connections.
This week Easley was not only washing his clothes (and cow costume), but volunteering to help others as needed.
That Peace Connections relationship is what led him to Laundry of Love.
A national program and movement, the local effort is hosted by Peace Connections. It provides a two-hour window provides anyone who wants it a chance to get a quick meal and do laundry free.
At least free to the attendees. Laundry of Love provides quarters for the machines, soap and dryer sheets along with a meal.
“We have said anyone is welcome,” said Tom James, community development and volunteer management coordinator for Peace Connections. “… It is a small thing, but sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impact.”
Like being at the laundromat on the night before someone’s job interview. That woman, who was getting help from other organizations to get back on her feet, was desperate to have clean clothes to wear for her shot at work.
The program started in June of 2023, growing nearly every month.
“The first time we came, I counted how many people were here and counted for each load. I figured we’d need around $75 a month,” said Kendra Davila, director of Peace Connections and program organizer. “That seems like a really good joke now. We’ve spent as much as $500. It’s not just because I am bad at math, it has just been that busy. We average between 200 and 150 loads of laundry.”
Davila said that as the program was being launched Peace Connections knew there would be a need – and the growth comes from responding to that need and word of the program spreading.
Over the last year they have heard where that need comes from.
“There are lots of stories of people who, just because access to water so expensive in Newton it is either not wanting to use machines at home or not having machines at home. It’s not having water or electricity at home,” Davila said.
She’s also met people who sneak into a public building with showers, and using the showers to clean their clothes. Something she says “there is not a lot of dignity” in.
Davila tells the story of a woman whose basement flooded, and all of her clothes being a part of the flood and needing cleaning at once.
“She brought in like 10 totes of laundry, just because they were all mildewed. She was really panicked about getting her kids to school in clean clothes,” Davila said. “It was really cool to be here for her.”
The program is funded entirely by donations – some from businesses, others from churches and some from private individuals.
Donations can be made online using venmo or paypal by visiting Donate (jotform.com). A visit to Peace Connections, 209 S. Pine, or the laundromat during a wash night is also encouraged by James.
“Convince people we need quarters,” James said. “… We just started a campaign and are mailing out funding requests letters. We are giving the opportunity to assist people who are struggling.”
