West Side Spin Cycle: North Lawndale Laundry Turns Dirty Linens Into Second Chances
Inside the cavernous Fillmore Center on Chicago's West Side, an industrial-scale laundry has quietly turned into something bigger than a place to wash hospital sheets. Fillmore Linen Service has grown from a few dozen workers to more than 160, and it is gearing up to spill over into a neighboring building as demand climbs. The company makes a point of hiring North Lawndale residents, people in recovery and folks coming home from prison, and many workers say the steady paycheck and clear path to promotion have been nothing short of life changing. Supervisors and new hires alike point to benefits, predictable schedules and room to advance as reasons they are sticking around, while hospital contracts and philanthropic backing help transform a long-empty factory into a neighborhood jobs hub.
