Leadership Burbank's Class of 2026 completed its class project by donating a mobile laundry trailer to The Salvation Army's Burbank SAFE location. The New Day Laundry program will work alongside the mobile shower trailer to serve people experiencing homelessness.
BURBANK, Calif. (San Fernando Valley Post) -- Leadership Burbank's Class of 2026 marked the completion of its class project, New Day Laundry, with the donation of a mobile laundry trailer to The Salvation Army's Burbank SAFE location during a ribbon-cutting celebration on August 19.
Created to work in conjunction with The Salvation Army's existing meal programs and mobile shower trailer, New Day Laundry will help provide a more complete continuum of care for individuals experiencing homelessness and other hardships.
At the celebration, Captain Bill Middendorp of The Salvation Army described the need the program will address. "Every month, approximately 130 individuals use our mobile shower facilities right here. Yet too often, after experiencing the dignity of a warm shower, they must put the same unwashed clothes back on. The New Day Laundry program will help bridge that gap," Middendorp said.
The Salvation Army is now moving into the next phase of securing funding for washers, dryers, a generator, and operating costs. "This trailer is more than a piece of equipment. It is an investment in hope, stability, and opportunity. It will help people take the next step toward employment, housing, and self-sufficiency," Middendorp said.
The Salvation Army, which has served the Burbank community since 1948, provides food pantry assistance to families, couples, and individuals who live in Burbank, North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Glendale, Sunland, and Tujunga. The organization also provides emergency food for the unhoused, holiday assistance, after-school programs, summer day camp, and safe storage and a mobile shower program for the unsheltered.
Interested donors or businesses wanting to help equip the trailer with washers and dryers can contact the organization at GlendaleCorps@USW.SalvationArmy.org.
Jessa Freemyer, Chair of Leadership Burbank's Board of Directors, said the donation reflects the group's mission. "New Day Laundry reflects exactly what Leadership Burbank is all about: inspiring the next generation of leaders to work together to identify a meaningful community need and turning an idea into something that can make a lasting difference," Freemyer said. "Members of the Class of 2026 did not simply create a trailer. They created a resource that will help our neighbors in need feel seen, cared for, and better prepared to move forward."
Part of the project was made possible through the efforts of the Class of 2026 and the generosity of community partners, businesses, organizations, and individual donors. Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center and UMe Credit Union served as lead sponsors of the project.
"The Salvation Army is deeply grateful to Leadership Burbank class of 2026 for choosing us to receive this New Day Laundry trailer. Your commitment to 'doing the most good' in our community is inspiring," Middendorp said.
The ribbon cutting celebrated the culmination of months of planning, fundraising, and collaboration by the Leadership Burbank Class of 2026 and the fulfillment of their class project goals and nine-month leadership program.
Leadership Burbank has already begun sessions for the class of 2026-2027 and will be hosting nonpartisan candidate forums in partnership with the Burbank Chamber of Commerce in September and October. The organization is also inviting donors and alumni to LB Scary, a costume party and fundraising event to be held on October 24 on the rooftop of Intro Burbank, featuring hosted drinks and hors d'oeuvres and dessert bites provided by BB Cafe. Individual tickets are $150 per person, and sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased at leadershipburbank.org/events.
Founded in 1995, Leadership Burbank is a non-profit charity dedicated to educating and motivating new and emerging leaders to take part in the civic, cultural, and economic fabric of the Burbank community. Through its signature leadership program and many other initiatives, the organization has more than 600 alumni and investments totaling more than a million dollars throughout the City of Burbank.
This article was generated with AI assistance.