BUT WHILE VOTERS WEIGH THEIR OPTIONS IN FRANCE, THEIR BOOT-SHAPED EUROPEAN NEIGHBOR, ITALY, CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF A LAUNDROMAT.
BUT THIS ISN’T JUST ANY LAUNDROMAT – FOR ONE, IT DOESN’T ACCEPT QUARTERS…OH, AND IT WAS OPENED BY THE POPE! AN INTERESTING NEW BUSINESS VENTURE FOR THE HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
DELIA GALLAGHER IS IN ROME TO TELL US MORE.
INSIDE THIS FORMER HOSPITAL IN THE HEART OF ROME, POPE FRANCIS HAS SET UP A PLACE WHICH OFFERS A DIFFERENT KIND OF CARE- A FREE LAUNDROMAT FOR THE POOR. CIRO AND ROSANNA, TWO OF THE ESTIMATED 7,000 HOMELESS IN ROME, HAVE BROUGHT THEIR CLOTHES HERE WHERE VOLUNTEERS DO THE WASHING FOR THEM. CIRO SAYS HE SLEEPS "WHEREVER HE IS." OFTEN IN A HOSPITAL OR ON A BENCH.
Ciro, Homeless man: "In the summer it's ok, in the winter - we're like popsicles, penguins" (Original Italian: "d'estate va bene, l'inverno - siamo come I ghiaccoli, come I penguintoday,
BEFORE THE POPE'S LAUNDROMAT, HE SAYS HE WOULD WEAR HIS DIRTY CLOTHES UNTIL THEY WERE FALLING APART AND THEN THROW THEM AWAY.
Ciro, Homeless man: "For us, it's a very important thing. I want to thank Pope Francis, it's really an amazing gift." (Per noi, e' una cosa molto importante. Voglio ringraziare PF, veramente e' stato un dono stupendo.")
Delia Gallagher, CNN Reporter: "SO there are 6 washing machines and 6 dryers here as well as ironing facilities next door and the volunteers tell me that they can do about 16 loads of laundry in a day and what's important for them is that the name of the person gets on to their load of laundry so they can be sure once its washed, dried and ironed it gets back to the right person."
THE LAUNDROMAT IS THE LATEST OF POPE FRANCE'S PROJECTS FOR THE POOR IN ROME. HE HAS ALREADY OPENED A DORMITORY, FOR MEN AND WOMEN, AND SHOWERS, A BARBERSHOP AND MEDICAL FACILITIES AT THE VATICAN.
"the bodies of the poor are taken care of by someone and it's beautiful because PF really understood that this is what they need." ("insomma, il corpo dei poveri viene preso in cura da qualcuno ed e molto bello perche PR ha capito molto bene quali sono le esignze, bisogni dei poveri.")
MASSIMILIANO, REMEMBERS ONE OF THE HOMELESS SMELLING HIS FRESHLY LAUNDERED CLOTHES.
Massimiliano, Volunteer: "He said, 'It reminds me of home,' - that's what we do here, this is a little like a family which helps people to feel at home." (Original Italian: "una persona che e venuta qui la prima volta a fare la lavatrice uscendo odorando I panni che profumavano ha detta ma io sento davvero profumo di casa, questa e un po una familglia che aiuta a tutti a sentirsi a casa")
A HOME WHERE DOING THE LAUNDRY IS NOT A CHORE, BUT A GIFT FOR WHICH THEY ARE GRATEFUL.
Instructional Links
Website Article: Time for Kids, Pope Francis
Website: Current of Ohio, Laundry Project | Explains Ohio charity that helps with free laundry & other services.