Laundromats
We go beyond building laundromats on the reservation.
Access to clean clothes is difficult here. Pine Ridge is a service desert where there are only a handful of laundry machine repair technicians and even fewer laundromats.
Our first 20 machine facility has opened in the Wakpamni district and we're hoping to build two more. Our Allen Youth Center is equipped with 4 machines and we've gotten several workers from the LEG program certified to fix laundry machines.
Imagine missing a job interview or school not because you are sick, but simply because you don’t have clean clothes.
Solving the Laundry Crisis on the Pine Ridge Reservation
Imagine missing school not because you are sick, but simply because you don’t have clean clothes.
For many youths on the Pine Ridge Reservation, this is a recurring reality.
Through discussions with Lakota community members, a hidden crisis came to light: an acute, reservation-wide need for accessible laundry facilities. Dirty clothes are consistently cited as a primary reason students skip school to avoid stigma. Furthermore, the inability to regularly wash clothes causes them to wear out significantly faster, forcing families to constantly buy new clothing and adding to their financial burden.
The geography and economy of Pine Ridge make doing laundry incredibly difficult. Residents often have to drive hours to reach a laundromat. For those who own consumer washing machines, a breakdown usually means the machine is permanently out of commission because active repair specialists are virtually nonexistent.
We are helping to bring two distinct answers to this unnoticed crisis.
Setting Up Reservation Laundromats
To address the overwhelming need, we are building local facilities. Our most important facility is in the Wakpamni district.
Read about how we brought the Wakpamni District laundromat to full capacity.
Equipped with 10 commercial washers and 10 commercial dryers, the Wakpamni facility offers a nearby option at costs in line with laundromats in Rapid City.
The acute need for this installation was obvious immediately: upon opening, every machine was used at maximum capacity for several days straight. Beyond clean clothes, this laundromat provides steady jobs and a new revenue stream for the community.
We are currently planning to build two more large-scale facilities mirroring this model.
We also brought essential services directly into existing community spaces. At our Allen Youth Center, we installed 2 washers and 2 dryers. Crucially, alongside these machines, we have made 2 showers available for residents in Allen who do not have running water at home.
Training Local Repair Specialists
Providing machines only works if they stay running. To fill the severe deficit of service specialists, we are training local tradespeople to maintain these appliances. Several Lakota workers from our LEG program have completed training to fix and maintain washing machines and dryers. This initiative guarantees our laundromats will stay operational while creating valuable, specialized jobs on the reservation.
Step by step, we are working alongside the Lakota people to make hygiene, health, and dignity accessible to everyone on Pine Ridge.
