The Anaheim Union High School District will team up with local laundromats to provide students and families with accessible laundry services.
The district’s new partnership with LaundryUp, which the school board recently unanimously greenlit, fits AUHSD’s mission to support “the whole student,” officials said.
“We believe that protecting a student’s dignity is essential to their success; it is difficult for a young person to focus on education if they are worried about basic necessities like clean clothes,” said Kenny Perez, the district’s community schools manager, who helped pilot the agreement.
“By partnering with local facilities, we aim to remove these barriers so students can attend school with confidence,” he said, adding that educators and staff will identify students in need and refer them to the program.
It’s inspired by a similar program out of the Anaheim Elementary School District.
The AUHSD board has designated up to $8,900 in district funding toward the program. As part of the services offered, the district will purchase vouchers for high school students and families, redeemable at two Superior Laundry locations in the city at 1070 N. State College Blvd. and 851 S. Harbor Blvd.
Vouchers will be exchangeable for a laundry card preloaded with $8 in credit, which will cover two wash cycles at any temperature and three 10-minute drying cycles. Each voucher includes Tide detergent and Downy fabric softener.
LaundryUp will also provide professional pickup and delivery laundry services for designated district high school sites.
“We’re really here because of the community. So we’re here for the community,” Superior Laundry owner Patrick Lee said. “To be able to get involved, it’s been a blessing.”
Laundry services will be provided through Dec. 31 under the current agreement, but depending on students’ needs, the program could extend further, district officials said.