I gave my new friend a ride to Dollar General but when he asked for $10 I said no. “Thank you for your candor,” he said, no big deal. We’re finding new ways to describe those who are “unhoused” and “experiencing homelessness” because it’s a reminder that those in that circumstance are not alike, though they share certain problems. This friend can pray like an angel in public, reflecting his seminary education, but he hasn’t been in church in years. His drug use has been hard on his mind and his body. The people behind All In One Laundry Center, 801 South Grand Ave. East, and the nonprofit Clean Slate Advocates are among those who get it. They provide laundry services and clean linens and towels free to those who need them. This is the “Soap to Hope Challenge.” “Clothes have a unique way of shaping how we feel about ourselves,” the program’s flyer says. “The sensation of wearing fresh, clean clothes makes one feel renewed, dignified and empowered.” More than anything else, hope helps. – Fletcher Farrar, editor
This article appears in Dying and disabled Illinois prisoners.
