An Illinois teen is giving the gift of clean laundry to those in need in her community.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Jayera Griffin, 14, recently saved her allowance and collected donations to raise about $1,000 in order to host âfree wash dayâ this week at a laundromat near her Riverdale home.
âWeâre really proud of her,â Jayeraâs mother, Tanya Williams, told me. âShe had mentioned that when she tutored kids, sometimes their uniforms were dirty. She came with the idea on her own.â
The honor roll student that has a long history of community service, serves as a tutor a local elementary school and volunteers at a food pantry, got the idea for her initiative when she told her parents that she was concerned that some of her fellow studentsâ uniforms werenât as clean as they could be. Itâs then, when her parents reminded her that not everyone was fortunate enough to own a washing machine and dryer in their homes, the Trib noted.
That was Jayeraâs ah-ha moment: She was going to help them starting with her $5 a week allowance.
âI would just save it, I wouldnât spend it,â she said.
In addition, members of the School District 148 and Thornton Township boards also donated money so that the community could wash their clothes for free at the Mamaâs Coin Laundry whose washers can range from $4.50 for smaller loads to $8 for the bigger machines.
Clearly, those in need, especially seniors on a fixed-income, can greatly benefit from this type of generosity.
âGod bless her heart,â Rita Meadows, who lives in a senior citizens home a block away from the laundry mat , told the newspaper.
âThis is awesome,â she added. âThis is the first time Iâve seen something like this, where somebody thought of the community. She truly is an angel.â
Mother of two, Keochia Alexander said sheâs glad Jayera is helping out.
â Iâm glad she is seeing something that maybe we adults donât see it times. Maybe our kidâs clothes should be a little bit cleaner. I really appreciated her for raising the money,â she recently told WGN News.
Sheâs not done either. Jayera is planning something similar for when she goes back to school in August.
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