News — CHICAGO, Illinois. (Sept. 9, 2024) — The LaundryCares Foundation is proud to announce that it has been awarded the David M. Rubenstein Prize as part of the 2024 Library of Congress Literacy Awards. This prestigious award honors the Foundation's 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.
“It is an incredible honor for the LaundryCares Foundation to be recognized by the Library of Congress,” said Brian Wallace, President and CEO, Coin Laundry Association. “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.”
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program, established in 2013 and supported by philanthropist David M. Rubenstein and the Kislak Family Foundation, spotlights organizations in the United States and abroad that provide exemplary, innovative, and sustainable strategies to promote literacy and reading. The LaundryCares Foundation was selected for its innovative model of integrating literacy resources into laundromats, transforming these everyday spaces into community hubs not only for learning but also for family engagement and community support. Through this approach, LaundryCares addresses educational disparities while fostering stronger community ties and providing essential services to underserved populations.
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.
Wallace added, “By weaving literacy into everyday life, LaundryCares hopes to foster a love of reading in children during critical formative years. These programs not only serve families directly but also create lasting community impacts by providing equitable access to essential educational resources.”
LaundryCares Foundation, along with other organizations recognized by the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program, will be honored during a symposium and recognition event at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., this October.
To see the full list of winners and honorees and to learn more about the Library of Congress Literacy Awards, visit . For more information about LaundryCares Foundation, please visit .
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About LaundryCares Foundation
CLA (formerly the Coin Laundry Association) and its members established the LaundryCares Foundation in 2006 as a means of focusing the industry’s support to these communities through its network of laundry owners and their facilities. LaundryCares functions as a charitable foundation (501c-3) which is administered by CLA. In addition to the organization’s flagship events, Free Laundry Days, which have helped thousands across the nation with complimentary laundry services, the LaundryCares Foundation also teams with other organizations such as Too Small to Fail to deliver educational programs promoting children’s literacy and family interactions at the laundromat. The mission of LaundryCares Foundation is to enrich the communities of our members through programming that addresses unmet needs of laundry customers.
About Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program is administered by the Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives Office, a unit of the Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement at the Library of Congress.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at ; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at ; and register creative works of authorship at .
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