Rising Stars: Meet Jasmine McClarney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine McClarney.

Hi Jasmine, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
We started The Laundry Stop out of wanting to meet a simple need we saw in our city among the unhoused. After digging into some practical research, we found that there was nowhere within walking distance for people living on the streets of Nashville to do their laundry. Clothes are often tossed when they get too dirty. Those with jobs can do laundry at a laundromat after traveling by bus and then paying upwards of $10 a load. That is an incredibly straining amount for someone trying to get back on their feet. We have found that laundry has built a bridge of connection between those that want to help (and haven’t known how to) and those that need help. It’s an incredible honor to meet such a practical need that provides dignity and hope to someone struggling. It’s not always roses out on the street, but being handed a bag of warm clothes that sort of smell like “home” always brings a smile.

Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road, but we wouldn’t trade the lessons we have learned! There are always challenges when entering a territory you’ve never been to. A good friend of ours helped us build our first trailer with 2 washers and 2 dryers. We didn’t know what we were getting into when we started this journey. We had to figure out a way. We spent countless hours talking about how to set it up, where the hoses should go, how to plug into generators, what size generators we even needed, etc. It was a learning curve of all learning curves. And the truth is, we outgrew that trailer the moment we took it out on the streets! We found that we could wash, but not fully dry, clothes, and it was sad to hand back damp laundry to folks continually. We now have our large, beautiful trailer with 8 washers and 8 dryers. It’s been an absolute dream. The obstacle has been the technical things associated with the trailer and finding the right people willing to work on a mobile unit like ours. Our biggest challenge, though, has been power. We need to adequately power the trailer, and are dependent on generators that have to work for us to get laundry done. More times than not, our generators choose to go out on us. We are always looking for a better way (and eventually *hopefully* a more eco-friendly way!).

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We strive to meet people where they are and meet practical needs. Building trust is our number one goal- no strings attached. It’s like we are saying, “We will love you right where you are.” Sometimes people open up and need a listening ear, or a smile or hug changes the trajectory of their day. Having clean laundry for the week is the icing on top. What are we most proud of? We get to call these wonderful humans, who have been dealt a rough hand, whether it’s for a season or longer, our dear friends.

Networking and finding a mentor can positively impact one’s life and career. Any advice?
If it weren’t for Shower Up Nashville, we wouldn’t be where we are today. They are a non-profit that provides mobile showers to those in need. They have been serving in Nashville and other locations for 6 years now. We sent them an email about 4 years ago with the laundry trailer idea, and they were excited. They saw it as a major need and had thought of the idea but didn’t have the bandwidth at the time to make it happen. They have championed us every step of the way. The non-profit world can be such a wonderful place full of people that want to make the communities we live in better. Shower Up is the real deal. Working together with similar non-profits to accomplish similar goals only multiplies reach. We are so thankful to have had the privilege to work along side them for all this time.

Contact Info:

• Website: thelaundrystop.org
• Instagram: @the_laundry_stop
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelaundrystopnashville

Image Credits
Michael Wessner Photography