OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — The LaundryCares Foundation has been honored for its innovative efforts in promoting literacy by transforming laundromats into community hubs where families in underserved areas can access books and educational opportunities while completing everyday tasks, the CLA-affiliated organization reports.
LaundryCares was awarded the $150,000 David M. Rubenstein Prize as part of the 2024 Library of Congress Literacy Awards. The program spotlights organizations in the United States and abroad that provide exemplary, innovative, and sustainable strategies to promote literacy and reading.
“It is an incredible honor for the LaundryCares Foundation to be recognized by the Library of Congress,” says CLA President/CEO Brian Wallace. “We saw a clear need and a unique opportunity to transform laundromats into spaces where families can meet both essential and educational needs.
“By bridging this gap, we aim to empower underserved communities by providing safe, inviting spaces that inspire learning and growth.”
LaundryCares has reimagined laundromats as spaces that meet both practical needs and educational goals. By hosting free laundry and literacy events, the Foundation provides families with clean laundry while offering access to books, creating opportunities for shared learning.
These events, held in underserved communities, help bridge the gap between families and the literacy resources they often lack. Permanent reading spaces established in laundromats further encourage families to engage in reading while taking care of essential tasks, integrating learning seamlessly into daily life.
By partnering with national literacy organizations and libraries, LaundryCares has extended the impact of its programs beyond individual events. These collaborations enable the Foundation to distribute books and offer sustained educational programming, building a culture of literacy within the communities it serves. The partnerships help strengthen family ties, cultivate a love of reading among children, and create lasting educational foundations that will benefit generations to come.
“By weaving literacy into everyday life, LaundryCares hopes to foster a love of reading in children during critical formative years,” Wallace says. “These programs not only serve families directly but also create lasting community impacts by providing equitable access to essential educational resources.”
The LaundryCares Foundation and other award recipients will be honored during a symposium and recognition event at the Library of Congress in Washington in October.
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