Laundry program connects families and students at Freeman Elementary with clean clothing
Flint, Mich. – On Tuesday, Dec. 3, Genesee Health Plan honored local community member and business owner Sheldon T. Banks of Sheldon T. Banks Funeral Chapel for his generous contributions to the “Loads of Luv” laundry program – a program started by Genesee Health Plan Community Health Worker Melody Relerford at Freeman Elementary School to help ensure students and their families have access to clean clothing.
“As a Flint native, living, working and owning my own business in Flint, I want to do anything I can to help the community succeed,” said Banks. “It’s an honor to give back to the children who will be the future of our community because I feel they deserve the opportunity to thrive.”
In 2018, Relerford approached Banks indicating some of the students and families at Freeman Elementary School were in need of clean clothing and access to laundry facilities. This need inspired the “Loads of Luv” laundry program, which blossomed through the partnership between Genesee Health Plan and Banks. With Banks’ generous support, many students and families have been helped. Banks also purchased over 200 pairs of socks for students.
Banks continues to make a significant positive impact on the Flint community. He sends 20 Flint children to Cedar Point each year and has helped place dumpsters throughout the city for clean-up efforts. Banks is a member of the Society of Minority Firefighters and is a firefighter for the City of Flint where he donated thermal imaging cameras so firefighters can identify “hot spots” for fires on the inside of buildings before the firefighters enter. Additionally, he is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Iota Beta Sigma Chapter. Banks also does a turkey giveaway each Thanksgiving for families in need. Throughout the water crisis, he volunteered his business as a water distribution site for those affected by the water crisis.
“We are grateful for our partnership with Mr. Banks and his generosity in helping those in need,” said Jim Milanowski, GHP President and CEO. “There are so many heroes in our community who work behind the scenes and go unrecognized, and these people are selfless and give of their time, passion and heart back into the community to see it flourish. Mr. Banks is one of those community heroes, and we’re proud to honor him for his continued commitment to the community.”
