Redskins’ grant funds ‘Loads of Love’ at Villa

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, St. Joseph’s Villa will be able to offer a much-needed service to children and job training to students at the same time.

The grant for the “Loads of Love” program has funded the installation of three laundry facilities on the Villa campus. The program installs such facilities in schools and nonprofit organizations so that children experiencing homelessness or unstable living situations can access clean clothes at no cost to their families.

The facilities at the Villa include new washers and dryers, folding stations, supplies and washable laundry bags that students can take to and from school.

Not only will the facilities address the challenge of students having clean clothes, they also will serve as job training sites for students in the Villa’s Career and Transition Services program. CATS students will help staff manage the facilities and in the process develop skills in budgeting, inventory management, supplies shopping, communication and teamwork.

The goal of the Loads of Love program is to increase students’ confidence and self-esteem while improving school attendance and participation.

The Villa operates four schools on its campus, including the Sarah Dooley Center for Autism, as well as a Crisis Stabilization Unit for youth in mental health crisis, homeless services and after-school programs.

All clients have access to the new laundry facilities. The Villa impacts more than 3,000 children and families annually, according to officials.