Connecticut cleaner offers free cleaning for jobless
When Danbury drycleaner Pierre Rochman had heard that one of his longtime good
customers had lost his job recently, it reminded him of one of the low points
of his own life.
About 30 years ago, his cleaning business had gone up in smoke and almost took
his spirit along with it.
“My business had burned to the ground in a fire, but an awful lot of people came
in and helped me financially with small donations... $5, $10, $15, $20, and one
I remember was an anonymous donation for $100,” he recalled. “I was really moved by that because these were customers, not friends. I was
actually in disbelief.”
The amount of money that poured in probably only amounted to a few hundred
dollars, but the gesture itself made a big difference and Rochman decided to
persevere and start over.
“It renewed my faith in humanity,” he said. “When I reopened up, I think I looked at my customers in a little different
light.”
Nowadays, Rochman’s Mill Plain Cleaners is running strong and the 40-year industry veteran came up with a way to return
the favor to his community.
If an existing customer has lost his job recently, Rochman will offer him free
drycleaning service for up to six months.
“I don’t have a fast and hard rule, but the amount of money I put in for the people who
have taken advantage of it is whatever they spent in the last six months.”
Rochman sent out hundreds of e-mails to customers explaining the program. So
far, three have received free cleaning, but dozens more have voiced back their
support for the unique idea.
One concern that Rochman had was that people would see the gesture as a “crazy marketing gimmick,” but so far the response has been quite positive.
“I didn’t think I was being a great guy,” he noted. “I felt I kind of owed this because people did this for me.”
Rochman is happy that the program has garnered a lot of attention in one regard:
it has prompted other people to think of ways they can help those in their
community who are down during tough times.
“I feel better about what it might have spawned in terms of a broader response
than the actual two or three or five or ten people who it might have helped,” he said. “If all of my competitors did it, I’d be the happiest guy in the world.”
TURI plans wetcleaning demonstration
The Toxics Use Reduction Institute plans to offer a pair of free wetcleaning
demonstrations at Silver Hanger Cleaners of Bellingham, MA.
The plant, which is located at 7 Mechanic St., will host the events on Monday,
May 4, and Thursday, June 4.
The demonstrations will be broken up into two sessions on both of those days:
one from 8 to 10 a.m. and the other will be from noon to 2 p.m.
While there is no charge for cleaners who attend, there is limited space for
only ten per session. In order to reserve a spot, contact Joy Onasch of TURI at
(978) 934-4343 or send e-mail to joy@turi.org.
