National Clothesline

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many cleaners are still in the process of picking up the pieces of their lives.

To help ease their burden, the International Fabricare Institute and the Southwest Drycleaners Association have stepped in and offered assistance.

Already, SDA and the FabriCare Foundation have worked together to create a Drycleaners’ Assistance Fund which gives direct financial assistance to cleaners reopening their businesses after suffering devastating losses.

The fund will assist cleaners in paying for some of the initial expenses incurred as they try to restart their business, such as replacing supplies and materials and other immediate needs.

Applications for help are available on SDA’s web site. Following a screening process, the applications will be forwarded to a committee set up by the FabriCare Foundation — a non-profit, charitable organization legally set up to handle such a project.

All names and addresses of applicants will be withheld to order to ensure impartiality toward the candidates.

The Foundation is volunteering its services to ensure that 100 percent of the donated money reaches the disaster victims.

SDA has organized the collection of the funds. Those who wish to contribute can send checks payable to FCF Katrina/
Rita Disaster Relief to the SDA office, located at 1800 NE Loop 410 #308, San Antonio, TX 78217.

Also chipping in, IFI has offered to help cleaners affected by Hurricane Katrina — and any subsequent natural disasters — by extending association memberships during such a difficult time.

“We want members to know that we’ll extend their membership by the length of time they’re out of business,” IFI CEO Bill Fisher explained. “If a member is shut down for three months, for example, we’ll add that on top of their normal 12-month membership at no charge.

“Anyone in affected zip codes that cannot receive mail will automatically get an extension for the length of time it takes them to begin receiving mail and they are back in service. We want to be there for our members, and this is one way we can do that, and we’ll do everything we can to help them get up and running.”

IFI also hopes to help by sending out free packets of technical materials to members involved in disasters. They include information on how to handle damaged items and how to care for clothing in the aftermath of flooding or severe storms.

As another resource, IFI has added a PDF file link to its web site that cleaners can download and read.”

In addition to outlining potential fabric damage for rayons, acrylics, acetates, polyesters, wools, silks, and other fabrics, the document includes a step-by-step guide on salvaging washable (as well as unwashable) clothing and household items that have been contaminated in floods.

In the PDF, IFI also reminds cleaners to always wear gloves when handling items contaminated with mildew or floodwater. For grossly contaminated items, cleaners should also wear goggles and an organic respirator.

For more information, contact IFI at (800) 638-2627. For inquiries pertaining to the Drycleaners’ Assistance Fund, call the SDA office at (210) 826-4684.