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Smoketown laundromat offers free laundry for young people

Youth Build is a non-profit for young adults. They transformed a vacant lot into a laundromat and housing program for kids.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new resource in Smoketown wanted to reach out to their neighbors and offer free Laundry services.

Youth Build’ Smoketown Laundry opened their doors this week.

Youth Build is a non-profit for young adults. They transformed a vacant lot, at East Breckinridge and South Hancock Street, into a laundromat and housing program for kids.

Friday, Youth Build invited young people in to connect with program leaders and to finish a free load of laundry.

“For me, just to make sure that communities are whole and have the things the need to function well is important.” Lynn Rippy, the president of Youth Build, Louisville, said, “Youth Build's’ model is really built around community development. And to build young leaders, as they develop their own communities.”

Rippy said the laundromat is a critical tool for the Smokehouse community to function.

“The folks in the neighborhood have spoken. They’ve told us that they needed amenities in the neighborhood that support families in this neighborhood.” Rippy said. “Making sure children have clean clothes to go to school and folks have clean clothes to go to work, is a critical piece of our daily life.”

General Electric donated all the washing machines and dryers in the space. The Louisville Library helped donate books for people to read while they wait for their clothes.

The community center will focus on helping young adults, ages 18 to 24 years old.

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