Wade Milyard (pictured) says God called him to action after the former canine officer for the Frederick Police Department in Maryland was responding to a domestic dispute at a homeless camp. He felt compelled to ask them about their laundry, and that unknowingly set the course for a prayer-fulfilling future. The homeless couple he interviewed told him that they typically washed their laundry in a nearby creek. Milyard never forgot that response, nor his call to service. He pooled multiple donations with some of his own money and went to work creating a full-service laundromat on wheels. Fresh Step Laundry was born with a mission to help restore dignity to the homeless community by providing free, accessible, and hygienic laundry. Since retiring from the police force earlier this year, the 45-year-old has been traveling around Maryland making a difference — one load of wash at a time. He has set a schedule so people can meet him to take advantage of his laundry service. Milyard never charges a single penny, but his work yields substantial dividends. “If you’re clean, you just feel better,” said one homeless man. Milyard agreed: “If having clean clothes can help them just a little bit, then my mission is fulfilled.” In the last several weeks alone, Fresh Step has washed more than 2,000 pounds of laundry. Milyard’s next goal is to add a second vehicle so he can double the number of people he can serve. If you would like to donate to Fresh Step Laundry, click here.
