HARTFORD, Mich. — Under the McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Hartford Public Schools formed a partnership with Coin Express Laundry to provide free services to families experiencing homelessness.
"It's too hard for them to be able to get consistent laundry done," said Jamin Olds, director of State and Federal Funding for HPS. "They might be taking their clothes with them wherever they're staying that night."
Out of 1,400 students in the district, he says they've identified roughly 90 students that qualify as homeless.
"The last thing we want is for them to continue to wear those same clothes coming to school and be embarrassed, sometimes that can happen," he told FOX 17.
Families that fill out the form and meet the McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act qualifications, will be allowed to do 17 loads of laundry for free.
"The student or the parent will be provided with a wash card that will take care of laundry, fabric softener, soap dryer sheets," said CEO of Coin Express, Jeremiah Smith.
The average cost for one laundromat visit is $15, this program will save families at least $150 and build confidence.
"We can actually lower the levels of bullying, we can hire the morale and I think it will overall increase the character and the person," Smith told FOX 17.
The forms will be sent home with students or families can pick them up from the Laundromat off West Main Street.
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