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Jason & Loren Yates of Yates Dry Cleaning Donate $12,000 Worth of Face Masks to Community Service Organizations

Gayle Reuter and Alexandria Sheriff’s Department assist with mask and food delivery

Alexandria, VA – Yates Dry Cleaning, the all-natural, environmentally conscious dry cleaning business at Yates Corner in Alexandria, is making and giving away face masks.

No strangers to philanthropic endeavors, Living Legends of Alexandria Jason and Loren Yates have turned their attention to local community service organizations that need masks to help the poor and needy. And the Yates’ teams are once again stepping up with their considerable helping hands.

Jason Yates, owner of Yates Dry Cleaning, wearing one of the face masks made there. (photo by Lucelle O’Flaherty)

Jason Yates explained, “We put together a team to make masks to help a lot of different charities. And we’re also selling them.” It took a group effort with their staff and their seamstress, Joy So, to procure the materials to make the masks and then figure out which design worked best. They’re now producing masks in several different colors that are 100% cotton and machine washable.

Yates Dry Cleaning (R-L) Owner, Jason Yates, Shareef Mitchell, Gayle Reuter, Manager Bob Bowman, Janelle Wyckhuyse and Seamstress Joy So (photo by Lucelle O’Flaherty)

Once he realized he could really help people who may need the masks, Yates turned to fellow Living Legend Gayle Reuter as a liaison to find and reach those populations who needed them the most. It didn’t take long for her to discover the nonprofits that were serving the elderly and the poor were in desperate need of masks.

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office helped deliver the face masks distribute food. (photo by Gayle Reuter)

The masks were sent to the volunteers in local service organizations including Senior Services of Alexandria delivering Meals on Wheels, ALIVE, Carpenter’s Shelter, Casa Chirilagua, and the Grace Episcopal Food Bank.

While the masks initially went to the hard-working volunteers in these organizations, Neighborhood Health Center and Casa Chirilagua discovered that many residents who had been diagnosed with the coronavirus or were surrounded by those who were diagnosed were also in need of masks. So their coverage expanded. In fact, they’ve given out more than 800 masks so far, and that number increases every day.

Face masks in all colors made by Yates Dry Cleaning on site. (photo by Lucelle O’Flaherty)

Since business is a bit slow at the Yates Dry Cleaning right now, they are happy to be able to offer this precious service to the community. Jason Yates added that, due to the decrease in their regular business volume, it’s a great time to get your drapes, comforters and other big bulky items cleaned.

Yates Dry Cleaning offers pickup and delivery service, so give them a call if you’d like to support the company that offers our community so much support. Yates Corner includes Yates Automotive, Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap, Yates 7-Eleven and Yates Dry Cleaning.

RELATED: Woman Gives Back by Sewing Masks

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