Today we’d like to introduce you to Yasini Carr.
Hi Yasini, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey to Uplift Laundry Truck began through my years working in education and supporting children and families. I saw students being teased, isolated, or missing school because they did not have clean clothes. Some families were often working hard but struggling with the cost of laundromats, transportation barriers, housing instability, or limited access to laundry facilities. Those experiences showed me that laundry is not a luxury—it directly affects dignity, health, education, and employment.
In 2019, my co-founder, Joshua Carr, and I began developing the idea for Uplift. We officially established the nonprofit in 2023 with a mission to address laundry insecurity and connect families with additional community resources. Although our name is Uplift Laundry Truck, we do not yet own a mobile laundry unit. We decided not to wait for the truck to begin helping people. We started by partnering with local laundromats and providing prepaid laundry assistance, detergent, hygiene supplies, and free community laundry events.
Since then, Uplift has grown to serve more than 1,200 individuals annually across Durham, Wake, and Orange Counties. Our referrals come from schools, McKinney-Vento programs, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and other community partners. We also created our Wash & Learn events, which combine free laundry services with health education, literacy activities, family resources, and connections to organizations that can provide continued support.
We now collaborate with healthcare organizations, local government, schools, laundromats, volunteers, and community-based nonprofits.
Our next major goal is to secure a mobile laundry unit so we can bring services directly to schools, rural communities, neighborhoods with limited laundromat access, and communities affected by emergencies or disasters. We are not simply paying for loads of laundry—we are removing a barrier that can keep someone from attending school, going to work, protecting their health, or feeling confident in their daily life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a completely smooth road. One of our earliest challenges was helping people understand that laundry insecurity is connected to the social determinants of health (SDOH)—the conditions that influence a person’s health and quality of life. Limited laundry access can affect hygiene, school attendance, employment, confidence, and dignity.
Although we have consistently met the growing demand throughout our three years of operation, doing so has required flexibility, resourcefulness, and strong partnerships. Recruiting dependable volunteers and building an active, engaged board remain important priorities as we prepare for continued growth.
Securing sustainable funding—especially for our future mobile laundry unit—has also been an ongoing challenge. These experiences have taught us to adapt, build thoughtfully, ask for support, and continue moving forward even when every resource is not yet in place.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Uplift Laundry Truck is a nonprofit addressing laundry insecurity as a social determinant of health. We serve families, students, seniors, and individuals experiencing financial or housing instability across Durham, Wake, and Orange Counties. Our work includes laundry assistance, detergent and hygiene supplies, free community events, and connections to additional resources.
We specialize in creating partnerships among laundromats, schools, healthcare organizations, local government, nonprofits, and volunteers. Through our Wash & Learn events, families can complete their laundry while also accessing health education, literacy activities, wellness resources, and other community support.
What sets Uplift apart is that we do not view laundry as a single transaction. We use laundry access as an entry point for restoring dignity, strengthening family stability, and connecting people with resources that may improve their overall quality of life.
I am most proud that we have consistently met the growing need and now serve more than 1,200 individuals annually. We have built a strong community-based model while continuing to work toward our larger vision of a mobile laundry unit that can reach schools, underserved neighborhoods, rural communities, and areas affected by emergencies or disasters.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is seeing something that began as an idea become meaningful support for another person. At our events, I love watching families leave with clean clothes, helpful resources, and a sense of relief. Those moments remind me that even a practical act of service can restore dignity and make someone’s week a little easier.
I also find happiness in bringing people together around a shared purpose. Seeing volunteers, community partners, and families connect shows me what is possible when people choose to care for one another.
Outside of the work, spending meaningful time with my family and the people I love keeps me grounded. They remind me to appreciate the journey, celebrate progress, and make room for joy along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.upliftlaundrytruck.org
- Instagram: Uplift Laundry Truck
- Facebook: Uplift Laundry Truck
