The ribbon has been cut and the grand opening held for the New Heights CCDA Laundry Hub.
The project has been years in the making, starting out when the First Church of God of Benton Heights noticed a need for a laundry facility in the area. From there grew the idea of a laundry and community center that would feature dozens of washers and dryers and space for support service agencies to assist residents.
At Thursday’s ribbon cutting, New Heights CCDA Director Chris Britton said this represents a new day for the community.
“In Benton Heights, 60% of residents struggle to afford the basic cost of living, and the community suffers from the worst health outcomes in the county,” Britton said. “The residents of Benton Heights deserve better. Today marks the beginning of a positive change in these troubling statistics.”
In addition to 32 new Maytag commercial washers and dryers donated by the Whirlpool Foundation, the hub has 800 square feet of flexible space dedicated to host services like health screenings, job training, financial literacy, and more. Britton told us it’s been quite a journey.
“I think for me the most inspiring thing about being here today is just all the people and the diverse representation of everyone who’s here. From our social and human service partners, to our financial backers, to the community members, to people from the broader community. That to me is representative of what this project was all about.”
The facility had the backing of the First Church of God, the Frederick S. Upton Foundation, the Corewell Health Foundation, and the AEP Foundation as more than $1 million was raised to get started.
The Laundry Hub is now open and available to Benton Heights residents.
