Anyone who’s ever lived in an apartment without laundry machines knows the struggle and inconvenience of heading to a laundromat. But for the unhoused, even that “inconvenience” often taken for granted presents barriers that force them to do without. Wade Milyard, founder and operator of Frederick nonprofit Fresh Step Laundry, is spending his retirement years providing a free and accessible service for local unhoused individuals to wash and dry their clothes. But just a few years ago, he never would have thought he’d be a full-time provider of a blessing most people never think about.
Fresh Step’s story started toward the end of Milyard’s tenure as a Frederick City police officer. In 2024, he had been called to a homeless campsite to settle a domestic dispute. While the call was wrapping up, as a person of faith, he says he sensed God nudging him to ask those at the encampment about their laundry. They showed him how they had been washing their clothes in a dirty creek and hanging them from nearby trees to dry.
“I asked them, if there were a free laundry service, would they use it?” he says. “They told me, yes, they really would.”
With six months left to go until his retirement in January 2025, Milyard told his wife about his idea and began researching the details of mobile laundry services. On September 4th, 2025, the Fresh Step Laundry vehicle did its first load of clothes.
The road to getting a mobile unit operational was made easier with family pitching in and generous community support. The bus which serves as a base of operations was donated by the Frederick Police Department and much of the internal buildout was completed DIY.
“My father and father-in-law helped to renovate the bus and build the cabinetry,” Milyard says. “We were able to save a lot of money by doing the bulk of it ourselves. For everything else, we fundraised through Facebook networks. People quickly saw the vision and rallied around what we were working toward.”
For more on the ins and outs of running a mobile laundry service, Milyard connected with Tony Peterson of Living Water Shower Ministry and the team of The Laundry Truck LA. Both, he says, were “very helpful,” and happy to answer his many questions and share their knowledge. Milyard has also developed local partnerships with Frederick’s Department of Health and Human Services and recovery agency On Our Own of Frederick County. Frederick has a number of resources available for the unhoused, but Fresh Step Laundry still fills a gap many might not be aware of.
“There are free laundry facilities at homeless shelters, for sure, but capacity is limited, and not everyone is able to access them,” Milyard says. “Some people are denied at shelters because of substance abuse regulations. Others just may prefer to stay elsewhere. Fresh Step makes sure that clean laundry is a possibility for everyone no matter what their situation.”
The Fresh Step Laundry bus is clean, bright and equipped with three washer / dryer units and a long countertop. When clients arrive at the site, they check in on a clipboard and their clothing joins the line of hampers-to-wash. The Fresh Step volunteer team handles all of the washing, drying and folding. Clients simply circle back to retrieve their clothes at pick-up time.
“I’ve gotten to know some of the people I serve on a more personal level than was ever possible for me as a police officer,” Milyard says. “During my police career, I had to have a tough shell, but this side of the work is a lot more vulnerable. You connect from a very human place.”
One of his favorite stories so far, he says, has come from serving a repeat client who recently got hired at a much-needed job. “I’m not saying that helping him with his laundry led to that directly,” he says, “but I know it’s important for a sense of dignity and confidence to have clean clothes for an interview.”
Milyard continues to seek local support for Fresh Step Laundry, and looks forward to seeing the nonprofit expand.
“Within a year I’d like to have another mobile unit specifically to serve unhoused families through FCPS,” he says, “and within five years, it would be wonderful to have a brick-and-mortar space.” One of the challenges Milyard mentions facing is continuing to serve the community during winter when temperatures can cause mobile unit water to freeze: “Our best case would be to have a headquarters that’s climate controlled.”
On the ordinary Monday when Frederick Lifestyle paid Fresh Step a visit, Milyard and his team were parked at one of their regular locations behind On Our Own. An early client dropped off his laundry, gave Milyard a handshake and stopped to chat. As he left, Milyard handed him a pack of clean socks.
“Out here doing the Lord’s work?” asked another man, passing by.
Milyard gave a shy wave. “I’m trying,” he said.
“You connect from a very human place”
Ways to Support Fresh Step Laundry:
- Follow on Facebook (Fresh Step Laundry) or Instagram (@fresh_step_laundry)
- Give a tax-deductible donation via freshsteplaundry.com
- Become a volunteer – reach out to Wade to inquire at wade@freshsteplaundry.com