Tide - When Clean Laundry Spells Compassion

Long before Casinos dotted the Gulf Coast and long before they were wiped away by hurricane Katrina, I lived in Biloxi, Mississippi. Debbie, my best friend at the time, bought a house on the back bay with her husband. Tom was in the military and this house represented a stable future. No matter what came their way, the house in Biloxi belonged to them...home base at the end of a long career.

Six months before he retired hurricane Katrina battered the little house, flooded it with several feet of water, and rendered it unlivable. When the time came, they moved back anyway and planned to rebuild their dream.

Recently, a letter came in the mail from my dear friend. For the past two years they've been living in a camper while they slowly reclaimed their lives in Biloxi. I couldn't help but think about the things they've sacrificed during that time and how hard daily life must have been. They are truly strong people and I admire them greatly.

I wondered how Debbie managed the simple tasks like cooking and laundry. That reminded me
of a program I'd heard of shortly after Katrina left her devastation. Loads of Hope is a mobile laundry service run by Tide, owned by Procter & Gamble. They moved their mobile laundry mat into New Orleans and opened up shop, washing, folding, and delivering clean clothes back to the weary people of Saint Bernard Parish.

During that time Loads of Hope washed over 20,000 loads of clothes for free, providing an invaluable service. This is a textbook example of "offering up your unique skills and talents". The conversation at the Tide company must have gone something like this.

Executive #1, "Those poor people. Some one shoud do something."

Executive #2, "We could write a check to the Red Cross."

Executive #1, "But that's so impersonal. There must be something WE can do."

Assistant pouring coffee for Executive #1 whispers timidly, "Well, we could wash their clothes."

And there you go.....a grand idea.

Loads of Hope was such a success and morale booster for the residents it helped that Tide wants to keep the program going. They plan to send their mobile units out in response to future natural disasters. They rushed out to California after the wildfires a few months ago and are still there washing sheets and clothes damaged by the smoke.

If you'd like to show your support for this program you can purchase a tee shirt for $15.00. On the front is the vintage Tide logo. The back says Loads of Hope. All of the proceeds will go to help families rebuild after a natural disaster.

I hope that other companies follow Tide's lead and look at the unique help they can offer to philanthropic causes. It does a good turn for the world and gives the employees a sense of pride in the accomplishments of their company.

In the letter from my friend she passed on thanks to all the people and organizations that have helped to make life easier during their long period of recovery. I'm sure the people who used the Tide Loads of Hope service feel the same way.

Look on their website for Loads of Hope mobile locations if they can be of help to you.

California Wildfire - Evacuatees Say They Feel Cared For

As fires rage across Southern California, there is hope among the evacuees. Only about 20,000 people took advantage of the free shelters set up for the public. Many who could afford it went to hotels and others fled to the homes of loved ones.

For those in shelters like the Qualcomm Stadium and a racetrack in Del Mar, Ca, the experience has been a positive one so far. They would all love to learn that their homes remained untouched by the fire – bringing a happy-ending and relief after the last few stressful days.

The racetrack became home to evacuated horses and other large animals. The owners were so grateful for a safe place to bring them. Evacuees at both shelters brought their household pets and were able to kennel them at the facilities. A much needed improvement over Katrina evacuation efforts.

Almost as many volunteers help to distribute clothing and food. They care for the peoples needs like providing a wheelchair for Janet Tucker, a retired bus driver who lives on disability. Volunteers wheeled Janet through the Qaulcomm to visit with her cats housed in the kennel. She recently spent two weeks in the hospital for complications to diabetes and was very grateful for the medical care she’s receiving at the shelter.

Charlotte Leger is staying at the race track in Del Mar. She fears her house is gone, like most of the homes in her Fallbrook neighborhood. She said about the tragedy, “"We're still not allowed to go back into the area at all. Fallbrook's completely closed off, so we can't get in, but you just try to go on with your life and help others that are going through the same thing, and give it your best shot."

Shiva Moradfar of Rancho Santa Fe believes her home escaped the fire. After 30 years in California, she’s seen her share of wildfires, but none has come as close to her as this one. Shiva says that other evacuees are helping her keep her spirits up, and she is repaying them by serving as a volunteer herself.

Please keep these communities in your thoughts. Send help if you can or volunteer if you live nearby. The rescue and evacuation efforts seem to be going much more smoothly than in past disasters in other states. It’s good to see the improvements and how the volunteers are caring for the citizens displaced by the fires.