The Church of the Nativity's Greene Street Market Awards $25,000 Grant to Launch Huntsville’s First-Ever Mobile Laundry Unit
The Church of the Nativity in Huntsville’s outreach program, Greene Street Market, has awarded a $25,000 grant to ShowerUp Huntsville, a nonprofit organization that provides showers and personal care for low-income families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
The funds, awarded as part of Greene Street Market’s annual community outreach grant, will fund Huntsville’s first-ever mobile laundry unit, expanding the ShowerUp Huntsville’s capacity to serve in need to access clean clothing in the local community.
By bringing mobile laundry services directly to underserved populations, the initiative aims to restore dignity, promote better health, reduce waste, and foster partnerships to reach even more individuals. The mobile unit will complement the organization’s existing shower services, advancing its mission to provide holistic hygiene care.
According to Taylor Reed, contact person for ShowerUp Huntsville, the organization currently provides showers to more than 500 individuals each month, many of whom are homeless or from low-income families—including school-aged children—who struggle with access to clean clothing.
Reed emphasized the significance of the new service: “The addition of a mobile laundry unit will ensure they have clean clothes not only for their jobs but also for job interviews, helping them secure and maintain employment with confidence and dignity.”
While these mobile laundry stations will operate at three primary locations: First Stop, The Rose of Sharon Soup Kitchen, and Manna House, Mr. Reed mentioned that the unit will be deployed for special events in collaboration with community partners to provide laundry services to many underserved populations.
“Our goal is to maximize the impact of this resource, ensuring it is utilized as often as possible and benefits as many groups as we can reach. We have already established partnerships with numerous non-profits and groups that are in need of laundry and are eagerly waiting to partner once this service becomes a reality.”
The impact of the new service is expected to be significant. “With a conservative estimate, we anticipate serving over 1,000 people,” Reed added.
The Rev. Rose Veal Eby, associate priest at the Church of the Nativity, shared the parish’s motivation for selecting this initiative. “This grant is to fund something new that is above and beyond our existing budget. It is not for our normal program expenses. This year, we felt the funds could have the biggest impact by supporting ShowerUp’s laundry trailer,” she said. “Although this mobile laundry unit will be operated by ShowerUp, we stand out by uniquely offering other organizations the opportunity to use the equipment.”
Voted the #1 market in the state, Greene Street Market has awarded more than $100,000 to community organizations through the Outreach Committee of the Church of the Nativity. Grants are open to 501(c)(3) organizations in good standing for at least three years with both the IRS and the Alabama Department of Revenue.
The writer is the Director of Communications. She can be reached at nana@dioala.org