SoCalGas and The Laundry Truck LA Unveil New Equipment to Provide Free Laundry Services to Unhoused Angelenos

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today partnered with The Laundry Truck LA (TLTLA) to unveil the organization's newest trailer which will provide free mobile laundry services to unhoused individuals in the Greater Los Angeles area. The trailer is fully equipped with five sets of washers and dryers, a folding station, and a water heater. With the addition of the new trailer, TLTLA is expecting to complete over 10,000 loads of laundry by the end of 2020. Please see photos from the media event here.

The Laundry Truck LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free mobile laundry services for those in need throughout Los Angeles and is one of the first mobile laundry services in the country to serve the homeless population. With the help of additional sponsors and partners, TLTLA has successfully expanded their operations to meet growing demands. Earlier this year, Landi Renzo USA donated a converted CNG Ford F-250 pickup truck equipped with the company's Eco Ready™ compressed natural gas (CNG) system to assist with TLTLA's efforts. The addition of the truck will help TLTLA expand their reach to more people in need while reducing their environmental impact and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.  

TLTLA's trailers offer services seven days a week, including night shifts, to unhoused individuals throughout Los Angeles County's parks, recreation centers and specialized locations. These free laundry services are made available exclusively to individuals experiencing homelessness at designated locations. Accessible personal care services, like laundry, play a large part in helping improve the day-to-day livelihood, self-confidence, hygiene, and future opportunities for underserved populations.

"We are proud to join with SoCalGas in launching this new truck," said Councilmember Gil Cedillo. "As an early supporter of The Laundry Truck LA, we have been gratified to watch this organization grow, and reach more people experiencing homelessness in our community.  Clean clothing is something so many of us take for granted, but it is truly a human right and need for us all. They provide a great service to the homeless in Council District 1."

"Thanks to The Laundry Truck LA, many people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County have been able to wash and dry their clothes free of cost. That is why I proudly supported The Laundry Truck LA with a grant of $90,405, which made it possible for Laundry Truck LA to provide critical laundry services to residents of the Winter Shelter in Bassett Park," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. "Access to laundry services is a simple way to give our unhoused neighbors self-confidence and a sense of dignity."

"I look forward to having my clothes washed and folded every week. This is a great necessity, especially during this time of the coronavirus," said TLTLA guest Daniel. "What I appreciate the most about The Laundry Truck and their services is their ability to treat all their guests like a human being, regardless of their situation or background."

Earlier this year, SoCalGas donated $25,000 to TLTLA to support rising demands for personal care and laundry services.

"As an Angeleno myself, I am extremely proud to join forces with The Laundry Truck LA to provide much needed support and services to our unhoused neighbors throughout Los Angeles County," said Andy Carrasco, vice president of strategy and engagement, and chief environmental officer at SoCalGas. "Our partnership with The Laundry Truck LA and Landi Renzo allows us to make a positive impact to our community and the environment."

"People experiencing homelessness in LA have been hit hard by the pandemic, and the demand for our free mobile laundry services has never been higher," said Jodie Dolan, founder of The Laundry Truck LA.  "We are deeply grateful to SoCalGas and Landi Renzo for their incredible support and partnership.  This new truck enables us to expand our reach and provide our services to those who need them most."

SoCalGas COVID-19 Pandemic Response 

Since March, SoCalGas has donated more than $2.74 million to nonprofit organizations for COVID-19 recovery efforts, including supporting the region's workforce, feeding the hungry, providing bill assistance to customers, and more. 

For more information on SoCalGas's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit www.socalgas.com/coronavirus.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.  

About The Laundry Truck LA

Founded in 2017, The Laundry Truck LA (TLTLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free mobile laundry services for people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. TLTLA was one of the first mobile laundry services in the country to serve people experiencing homelessness, and is one of a handful in the world. TLTLA is expanding its services through local city, county and community support – and provided an estimated 3,000-4,000 loads of laundry in 2019. Accessible personal care services, like clean laundry, truly impact lives, and can make the difference in securing employment or housing, or for kids, the difference in having a positive school experience. For additional information, please visit https://www.thelaundrytruckla.com/.

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

Related Links

http://www.socalgas.com