After class mates are bullied for dirty clothes, teen creates laundry room at school

Although it’s common to occasionally miss laundry day, some circumstances prevent laundry from being done for longer periods of time and often resulting in unpleasant and lingering odors. In a heart warming story, a high school senior decided to help after learning some of his peers were being bullied for wearing dirty clothes to school.

Solving a Dirty Clothes Problem

Jimmy Tomredle is a senior and class president at Lacey Township High in New Jersey. Last fall, he noticed something unusual; several students had stopped coming to class for unknown reasons. It didn’t sit well, so he decided to get to the bottom of things. He learned that many students have parents who either can’t afford to keep up with the laundry. Or just don’t have the time. As a result, those students were being bullied because they had to wear dirty clothes.

Inspired to help, Jimmy Tomredle thought it would be a good idea to find a way for students to wash their dirty clothes at school. He reached out to a few appliance stores before finally securing a donated washer and dryer from Anchor Appliance. The West Creek, New Jersey shop opened in 1968 and has served satisfied customers since. Roughly 20 minutes from the school, the appliance store graciously agreed to make the donation. In May of 2023, students gained access to school premises to wash their dirty clothes.

“I thought bringing free laundry services would be beneficial,” Tomredle explained. The program has been named in honor of Jimmy. Referred to as “Tomredle’s Terrifically Tidy Laundry Services,” the program also offers free laundry detergent to the students who might need it.

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Inspiring Solutions

Many schools face the issue of students being bullied for having dirty clothes. As a result, they’re stepping up to provide a necessary resource. Furthermore, something that makes this particular occurrence so noteworthy is that a student stepped up to make a difference. However, it wasn’t his own idea.

Jimmy was inspired by the principal of another school in New Jersey—Akbar Cook, at West Side High School in Newark. According to Cook, students at his school who are washing their dirty clothes will also have access to an adjacent room in which they will be allowed to take part in STEM projects while waiting for their laundry. Other states with schools that’ve also installed laundry units for their students to wash their dirty clothes include Indiana, Virginia, and Kentucky.

Jimmy Tomredle is a unique young man who’s gone above and beyond to help students in need have a place to wash their dirty clothes. “You know, I’m always a positive kid. This makes me feel proud.” Tomredle said.

Students Facing Homelessness

In contrast, something is alarming about how many students are struggling or in need of assistance. Most Americans work hard to put food on the table and possibly have the means to enjoy their lives. Furthermore, many people forget that people are in need everywhere in the U.S. The homeless population has increased significantly in recent years.

As such, many students who are attending schools throughout the country are facing homelessness or are impoverished, hungry, and more. According to the United States Census Bureau, more than 37 million people experienced homelessness in the years 2020 and 2021. Meanwhile, an estimated 1.5 million students were homeless. Furthermore, factors like increasing inflation and robotic replacements for the workforce will likely continue to leave more and more Americans homeless.

Cleaning Dirty Clothes and Other Assistance

Fortunately, there are several programs in the U.S. that offer support and assistance for families in crisis. Youth.Gov have programs that provide services such as temporary housing, food, education opportunities, employment, and even some way to wash their dirty clothes. Other sites provide a comprehensive list of resources available to families addressing a variety of needs. Meanwhile, a government page offers help to runaway youth and homeless teens.

In addition to the national programs available, teens like Jimmy Tomredle are making a huge difference in the lives of their peers and others. According to the teen’s mentor on this project, Cayenne Mandes “Jimmy is just a ball of love and light, he has this energy and spirit about him.” The notable young man is destined for greatness. He heads off to Seton Hall University next year, with ambitions to go to law school after. Luckily, the teachers at the school have already agreed to help maintain the program after he graduates, ensuring students will have a place to wash their dirty clothes for years to come.

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