You know how sometimes it’s the little things that can make all the difference in how you feel? With all the other things you juggle in a day, finding time and energy to clean the house is just not as simple as it sounds. Even just running the vacuum can seem like too much. Now, imagine dealing with daily demands while fighting cancer. Wouldn’t it be great to get a little help cleaning up without having it clean out your wallet? That’s exactly why the Cleaning for A Reason Foundation exists. This newly formed nonprofit offers free, professional housecleaning and maid services to women undergoing treatment for cancer. With a cleaning happening on average every 36 minutes, over 3500 women have already been helped. We at Galtime are impressed with their mission and wanted to know more about how they work and how we might all be able to help.
GT: When did you start this group and why?
Cleaning for a Reason: The foundation was started by a local owner, Debbie Sardone who owns Buckets & Bows maid service in Lewisville, TX. She had a policy of assisting local patients through her own business. She had mentioned this to other cleaning companies at a convention and there was quite a bit of interest. She came back, started the foundation and started recruiting partners.
GT: Who do you help?
Cleaning for a Reason: Women, over the age of 18 currently undergoing treatment for cancer -any type of cancer.
GT: How do you hope to make life easier?
Cleaning for a Reason: When a woman is undergoing cancer treatment, the most tedious of tasks are difficult. By assisting with home cleaning, it allows them to save their energy. Usually, their immune system has been weakened also.
GT: How does someone go about getting help?
Cleaning for a Reason: We accept 50 applications a day Monday through Thursday at approximately 12 noon central standard time. First, if you want the service, you should go to our website and click the maid service tab to see if there is a partner in your area. Cancer patients go to the cleaningforareason.org website and click the cancer patient tab. After you register, your doctor must fax a note confirming you are currently undergoing treatment. After the registration process is complete, we contact a local affiliate in your area.
GT: Cleaning services that are involved volunteer their time. How can those who want to help get involved?
Cleaning for a Reason: Maid services wishing to join our foundation need to email Lynn Olmstead at lynn@cleaningforareason.org. She is our executive recruiter. We require maid services that participate to be insured and bonded. Volunteers can assist local maid services by running fundraisers for the
foundation as well as checking with local affiliates to see how they can assist.
It’s all rather simple, but oh, so helpful. You can find out more at www.cleaningforareason.org.
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