By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles
Taking a hot shower, brushing teeth, and having clean clothes are just a few things that many take for granted without even realizing it. Many others who consider it a luxury, can now turn to Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana. No questions asked.
Bishop Glen John Provost blessed a new mobile laundry/shower trailer on January 3 in the parking lot of the Chancery, along with a truck and van used in helping provide essential resources to many in the community.
trailer for Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana on January 3
in the parking lot of the Chancery.
Equipped with two showers and four washer/dryer units, Catholic Charities launched the 28-feet-long by 8-feet-wide trailer on November 21 during a Homeless and Hunger Awareness event by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury.
Since then, Catholic Charities has branched out to communities in Creole, Vinton, and Jennings, and is scheduled January 9-10 at Abraham’s Tent in Lake Charles, with plans to expand its presence in the region.
“The trailer meets the needs of people and gives us the flexibility go where people need our services — for both the housed and the homeless,” said Sister Marie Josepha Kluczny, RSM, Director of Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana.
“I like the idea of a laundry/shower trailer because we do, at times, have disasters to respond to, so this will give us a way to provide to needs of the community during those times,” Sister Marie Josepha noted. “However, it is also a way to help families use their money for essential items instead of having to go to a laundromat where it can cost at least $10 per load of laundry.”
Southwest Louisiana, participates in a prayer service ahead of the
blessing of the newly acquired laundry/shower trailer.
Sister Marie Josepha said that any ministry of the Catholic Church exists to bring people to Christ. Her hope is for the trailer to be more than just a social service.
“I want people to connect with the God who loves them and sees all their needs,” she said. “When the people receive the services of the trailer and the warm welcome of our staff and volunteers, I want that to be an experience of God seeing their needs, caring about their needs, and meeting those needs through his servants. It is an experience of God reaching out to them.”
The new resource was a blessing to those who used it in December at the Jefferson Davis Parish Fairgrounds in Jennings. Alisa Stevens, Homeless Outreach Coordinator for Catholic Charities, said that everyone who used the trailer was very appreciative.
“There were people who had not washed their clothes in months,” she said. “Some people have a house but do not have access to running water or electricity or cannot afford to use a laundromat. One couple whose plumbing was messed up could not afford to have it fixed.”
People were walking up with bags of laundry to the trailer, while others were riding bikes with backpacks or pushing baskets of laundry. They were determined to take advantage of a service desperately needed.
Stevens recalls one client who lives in the woods and collects a small Social Security check. “She would wear her clothes for several days in a row and then buy clothes off the clearance rack,” she said. “One client had four months of laundry to wash, so she went to the trailer every day.”
After not being able to wash her hair in months, one lady remarked, “I feel like a new person.”
Stevens agreed. “When you look better, you feel better. Clean clothes and freshly washed hair make you feel great.”
Volunteers are needed to help staff the trailer at the various sites. Donations of new or lightly used towels, wash cloths, laundry detergent, bleach, cleaning supplies, travel-sized toiletries, women’s personal hygiene items, underwear, socks, and jackets are appreciated.
The schedule for the remainder of January is as follows:
- January 9-10 — Abraham’s Tent, 2424 Fruge Street, Lake Charles, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- January 23-24 — Vinton, next to police department, 1201 Horridge Street, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- January 29-30 — Water’s Edge, 2760 Power Centre Parkway, Lake Charles, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
For more information or ways to help, call 337-439-7436 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Equipped with two showers and four washer/dryer units, Catholic Charities launched the 28-feet-long by 8-feet-wide trailer on November 21 during a Homeless and Hunger Awareness event by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury. The trailer is also available to many in the community who are housed but have no access to hot water or washer and dryer units.
