WASHINGTON, D.C. – For over 10 years KEYS for the Homeless Foundation has been collecting gently used goods and supplies from hotels, restaurants, and other concerned businesses. Their purpose is to provide these goods to those living in poverty free of cost. KEYS members and volunteers visit businesses in the Greater Washington, D.C. area to collect donations. This task became too much for KEYS to handle alone. The Hay-Adams, a participating sponsor of KEYS and a Virginia Linen customer, suggested a brilliant solution. The transportation issue was brought to the attention of Lee Gwaltney, Regional Vice President of Virginia Linen Service and KEYS Board Member. A partnership has been established, and with the help of Virginia Linen Service’s fleet of orange checkered trucks, more linens and supplies are being picked up and recycled than ever before. With the help of Virginia Linen Service, KEYS was able to implement a Go-Green Textile Recycling Initiative. In 2007, this program collected and recycled over 12,000 lbs. of linens that would have gone to waste.

Virginia Linen Service is still an active participant in KEYS for the Homeless Foundation. Our Director of Hotel Operations, Rhonda Benna, coordinates all of the pick-ups of donated linen from hotels as well as transporting them to a rag dealer in Baltimore.

Click here to read more about KEYS for the Homesless Foundation.