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'Laundry Love' in Springfield TN helps give people living in poverty a fresh start

Posted at 3:41 AM, Dec 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-27 15:45:56-05

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — All around Nashville we see "Compassion In Action." One Tennessee non-profit has - loads of it.

Martha Nelson is the founder of Laundry Love.

She says the organization is the brainchild of the "We Are One" movement, dedicated to bringing dignity to people facing poverty. Laundry Love meets every third Friday of the month at Sisters Coin Laundry in Springfield. They pair volunteers with people who can longer longer afford to do their laundry and help them wash, dry and bag their clothes.

The non-profit helps families like the Martin family, who who recently moved to Tennessee from Illinois.

"We were homeless," said Paula Boerckel, "There's nine of us in the family plus this baby makes ten."

They say it's hard to make a fresh start in old, dirty clothes.

Nelson says it's all about stopping the cycle.

"The only thing we want to do is take the judgment away. Let's start on an equal footing," she said.

Laundry Love and the Martin family each received a $1,000 gift card provided by Kroger as part of our "Compassion In Action" project.