Helping to Foster Their Future

Three years ago SMA's Opportunity Passport Initiative, which provides long-term support to foster youth starting at age 15 and continuing until their 25th birthday, created a job training, placement and support program called, "Will Work." SMA staff realized many of our young adults that had transitioned from foster care were unemployed or under-employed.

According to a multi-state study, 47 percent of former foster children are unemployed.
Children's Rights.org

During that same time that SMA was launching Will Work the Indiana-based engine manufacturing company Cummins was consolidating the remanufacturing of turbochargers with its existing operations in Charleston, South Carolina, and closing the ReCon Memphis Plant. Even though Cummins was reducing its operations here in Memphis, it wanted to expand its commitment by financially supporting Will Work.

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. and MEMPHIS, T.N. — April 5, 2023 — HappyNest, the tech-enabled laundry pickup and delivery service, is now offering laundry pickup and delivery service to Memphis, TN via our new partner Social Suds Laundromat. The city in Shelby County is now providing HappyNest next-day, affordable, and eco-friendly pickup and delivery laundry services to residents and businesses in Memphis, Cordova, Collierville, Germantown, among other cities in the surrounding area.

“People are busier today than ever before. Offering Pick-Up & Delivery Laundry service would be a natural extension of what we do,” said Tiffany Turnage, Deputy Administrator for SMA.“ HappyNest is well known in our business for its professional laundry service, so it was a no-brainer to approach them first. We were not disappointed. They fit well in our Mission of helping to improve the lives of people.”

Tiffany and the team at Social Suds Laundromat have been in the laundromat industry for 15 years. One hundred percent of the profit from the wash/dry/fold business goes towards supporting foster children. The team will be expanding into the pickup and delivery space with a 3,000 square foot facility equipped with 32 washers and 27 dryers. HappyNest’s fast, professional, and fully customizable service eliminates the burden of laundry from the lives of residents and businesses, saving them at least 3 hours per week.

“We are delighted to expand our services into Memphis, TN with our new partner,” said John MacKrell, CEO and founder of HappyNest. “We look forward to our partnership with the Social Suds Laundromat team to support the growth of laundry pickup and delivery in and around Memphis.” Remember Social Suds saying, "Your Laundry helps our Foster Children"

HappyNest has a proven formula for pickup and delivery laundry services, boosting productivity and cash flow during the slow mid-week for its laundromat partners while providing a fast, reliable, and professional customer experience. The company’s comprehensive support includes marketing for signups and customer retention, software for route management and billing, business mentoring, and a full customer service team, which positions its partners for success and allows them to grow their business efficiently.

It's easy for residents and businesses to schedule a pickup and get started with lightening their load. Customers put their dirty laundry in their HappyNest-provided bag, choose exactly how they would like their laundry cleaned and folded, and leave it outside on pickup day. HappyNest will pick up the laundry, clean it the customer’s exact specifications, and return everything the very next day.

Our HappyNest Memphis, Tennessee location is now accepting customer sign ups. To sign up for HappyNest next-day pickup and delivery laundry services, go to: https://app.happynest.com/signup.

About HappyNest

HappyNest is a convenient, cost-effective, eco-friendly, and fast pickup and delivery laundry service sweeping the U.S. The company’s mobile app facilitates on-demand, customizable, next-day service. With the decline in the laundry services market due to the economic slowdown, HappyNest is giving new life to laundromats and their highly efficient washers and dryers that use 40% less energy than household appliances that would otherwise sit idle. HappyNest is a no-brainer for individuals who are looking to save time and busy employees working in laundry-heavy businesses. Check availability in your area at www.happynest.com or text/call 855-335-9274. Follow us on LinkedIn.

CARF Accreditation – The seal of quality service

Find out all you need to know about the CARF accreditation. Understand the difference between a facility with CARF accreditation and the one without.

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, CARF is an independent, nonprofit organization with a focus on advancing quality in the fields of health and human services. These range from child and youth, to aging and to opioid treatment. CARF is an accrediting body meaning that a CARF-accredited service provider has applied a set of standards for quality to their business and service delivery practices. Think of CARF as the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for nonprofits. CARF International provides a framework, then consults and advises health and human service organizations to help improve their service quality. CARF has been an approved accreditation provider for opioid treatment programs providing outpatient, residential, and detox services since 2001 and has been an accrediting body as a whole since 1966.

What is the CARF Accreditation process?

CARF accreditation can be quite a lengthy process – 9-12 months for first-time applicants; however, because of the time required to complete, it demonstrates the facility’s commitment to continually enhance the quality of services and programs offered. The agency will also expend several thousands of dollars in costs associated with the process. It begins with the service provider completing an internal examination of its programs and business practices. Then CARF sends a team of expert practitioners to complete an on-site survey of the service provider. During that on-site survey, the service provider must demonstrate that it conforms to the rigorous and internationally recognized CARF standards.

CARF accreditation consists of ongoing consultation and in-depth on-site reviews to help a CARF-accredited service provider achieve the highest quality of care for their customers. Accreditation demonstrates that the organization has opened its service delivery and business processes to outside scrutiny to improve the quality of their programs.

Following the on-site survey, the CARF presents a written report for the CARF-accredited service provider which includes strengths and areas for improvement. Throughout accreditation, the facility is required to keep the CARF updated on the status of the improvements that are being made, particularly if there are areas for improvements in the written report.

What does CARF Accreditation mean for the public?

For those being served, CARF accreditation means that the CARF-accredited service provider is committed to reducing risk, addressing health and safety concerns, respecting preferences of individuals (cultural or otherwise) and providing the best quality of care possible. It also shows that the accredited organization values the feedback and input of their clients and is accountable to the community. Accreditation demonstrates that a CARF-accredited service provider has made a specific commitment to put the needs of their residents at the center of everything they do and that they respect the rights and individuality of its clients.

What does CARF Accreditation mean for funders and partnering agencies?

This accreditation can give those that provide finanical support to this agency, that their accounting, bookkeeping, expenditures, 990 reports and bank statements have been thoroughly scrutinized by a team of professional financial experts and this nonprofit meets their highest standards.

SMA has officially been accredited by CARF International, receiving some of the highest honors available, including a maximum length term (3 years). SMA was also accredited having received no recommendations, meaning they were in full compliance and no improvements need be made, which is a notation less than 3% of all facilities receive.

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