Famous Tate Helps Homeless Get Fresh Start

Famous Tate contributed a trio of front-load laundry pairs to Gracepoint’s homeless services facility.

Provided laundry pairs for Tampa’s impoverished

By Alan Wolf, YSN

Homelessness is a dilemma that affects communities across the country, and Famous Tate’s home base of Tampa, Fla., is no exception.

What differentiates Tampa, though, is Gracepoint Wellness, a mental health and wellness center that’s been helping area residents for over 70 years. More recently, Gracepoint added The Coffee Shop, an outreach and engagement facility for men and women struggling with homelessness.

Rather than offer handouts, The Coffee Shop empowers people to reenter the community by providing bathrooms and showers, case management assistance and counseling, phones, mailing addresses and Internet access, and laundry facilities.

That last amenity is where BrandSource member Tate comes in.

Partnering with Love INC of Metro Tampa, a local non-profit, the BrandSource member recently delivered three Whirlpool front-load laundry pairs to The Coffee Shop. The washers and dryers are free for visitors to use while they access Gracepoint’s counselors and avail themselves of other resources.

“When our homeless guests elect to wash their own vs. discarding soiled clothing, that is the start of possibly getting off the streets,” said Michael Doyle, co-founder of the local Love INC chapter.

Related: Famous Tate Helps Teen Fight Food Insecurity

The takeaway for Famous Tate? “We dropped off laundry detergent after the delivery and it was amazing to see the dedicated staff assessing the needs of each person,” the company observed in its monthly Tater Times employee newsletter. “It’s great to be a part of our community.”

Upcoming Events