Laundry room donated to Repairers of the Breach

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Repairers of the Breach, Milwaukee's only daytime homeless shelter now has a laundry room -- thanks to a generous donation from community philanthropist Raejean Kanter.

The new laundry room, named "Jim's Place," was named after Kanter's late husband, who liked to do the laundry for his family.

“In addition to being a loving husband, partner, loving father, proud grandpa and fantastic friend, Jim did the laundry for the family. It would come back folded on my bed. He worked out of our home in Greenfield and thought it would be easier if he did the laundry for our two income family of four. He truly understood what teamwork meant and how to show his love for his family in many ways,” Kanter said.

An estimated 15-35 people shower at the center daily, creating a heavy volume of towels and washcloths to be washed, dried and folded.  All of which makes the laundry room at the newly expanded center a busy and important place.

"Every day they will have an abundance of clean towels. 40 volunteers over the last 10 years have selflessly picked up towels, gone to the laundromat, paid for it themselves, and brought the towels back clean," MacCanon Brown with Repairers of the Breach said.

A heavy-duty washer and dryer have hummed daily at Jim's Place since their installation in July. Brown says charitable donations like this one are crucial for the resource center.

"Someone like Raejean Kanter represents the love and compassion that's out there that allows us to offer these services to people who really need and appreciate them," Brown said.

A special ceremony was held at Repairers of the Breach on Saturday, August 10th.

"It's a space to get themselves renewed. You know how you feel when you take a shower in the morning, and you feel like, okay, I can face the day. That's what a shower does for everyone," Kanter said.