055: Clean Clothes and Conversations — Orange Sky Laundry with Nick Marchesi

Reintroducing homeless people back into the community.

Nick Marchesi and his best friend, Lucas Patchett, loaded up their van one day with washing machines and driers to help homeless people wash their laundry. Little did these young adults know at the time that their idea would take off like wildfire. They are now located in 7 cities in Australia and plan to branch out to the United States with their services. Orange Sky Laundry doesn’t just wash clothes, but they also help connect their homeless friends back into the community. Find out more about the mission from Nick on this week’s episode!

Key Takeaways:

[3:00] What does Orange Sky Laundry do?

[6:20] How many cities is Orange Sky Laundry located in?

[8:55] Why did Nick and his best friend, Lucas, decide to start Orange Sky Laundry?

[10:55] Before Orange Sky Laundry, Nick and Lucas had volunteered to help homeless folks after school. Their eyes were opened when they realized how big Australia’s homeless population is.

[14:30] How did Orange Sky Laundry evolve from ‘just laundry’ to building a community?

[19:40] We take things for granted like having a nice conversation. The homeless often don’t have access to that on a weekly basis. They are regularly ignored by the community.

[26:25] Nick dives a bit into the 3 roles a volunteer can apply for.

[30:30] Nick was surprised by how supportive communities all around the world have been about the service.

[34:00] LG is one of the corporate sponsors of Orange Sky Laundry.

[34:45] Next year, Orange Sky Laundry plans to branch out into the United States.

[36:30] No matter what our cultural background is, we all want to be respected.

[38:30] How was Nick able to get corporate sponsors so quickly?

[42:40] How can the Giving Back community help Nick?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Giving Back Podcast

Orange Sky Laundry