Who We Serve
- Over 95% of members live below the poverty line, including many seniors, new Canadians, single parents, people experiencing homelessness, and people living with physical, developmental, substance use, and mental health challenges.
- Affordable housing and isolation are two of the biggest issues facing our members. We also provide assistance with accessing language training, health services, employment, immigration, childcare, food, and much more.
- Free CLC laundry vouchers are provided by community organizations to those experiencing homelessness and insecure housing.
- The CLC is located in Vanier-Overbrook, which has the highest level of social disadvantage according to the Neighbourhood Equity Index and the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study. The residents we serve experience the highest levels of inequity in the City.
- The CLC is the only low-cost laundromat in Ottawa
Operations and Finances
- The CLC is a registered charity that relies on donations, grants, and over 3000 hours of members’ volunteer work each year.
- It costs just $2 to be a member, and $2 per load of laundry including soap, supplies and all the benefits of being part of our community.
- In 2020, over 88% of the CLC budget went directly to our programs.
- Community Impact Laundry is the wash & fold social enterprise program of the CLC. It provides employment experience, job training, and supplemental income for many of our members. We are growing and all revenue goes back into our programs.
- COVID brought many challenges, but as an essential service, we continued to serve members with capacity restrictions throughout the pandemic. Many members have suffered and we need to increase the support offered and rebuild community throughout 2022. Please help us meet the needs of the community with a charitable financial contribution.
Our Past and Future
- The CLC was formed in 1998 when access to laundry, an essential service, was identified as a key issue at the Peoples’ Hearings on Poverty.
- Our goal is to expand the model of combining affordable laundry and community support to other high-needs communities in Ottawa.