Greenville's For Frankie free laundry service founder honored by Mike Rowe on 'Returning the Favor'

For months, Adahlia Nix has been providing a service for people in Greenville who don't have access to laundry or can't afford to do it.

Nix is the founder of For Frankie, a free laundry service inspired by a woman named Frankie who Nix met while working at a thrift store in Greenville.

The Greenville News first shared Nix's story in December. Now Nix is the guest star of the latest episode of Mike Rowe's "Returning the Favor" on Facebook.

The show follows Rowe as he surprises do-gooders around the country by giving back to their cause.

The 24-minute episode about For Frankie features interviews with Nix and community members who use her service. It also includes a big surprise contribution to help grow Nix's efforts.

Nix told Rowe she had a passion for helping people in need for much of her life, particularly when she learned her mother had been homeless as a teenager.

The she met Frankie while working at an Upstate thrift store. Frankie would come into the store each week to buy new clothes and throw our her old clothes. She told Nix it was cheaper to replace the clothes than to wash them at a laundromat. Nix asked Frankie if she could wash her clothes for her. Each week Frankie would come in to pick up a bag labeled "For Frankie."

Nix saw an opportunity to help more people in the community, so she created a weekly laundry service at Coin Laundry on Poinsett Highway in Greenville.

Each week, people in the community are invited to drop in during two hours on Wednesday night and wash their clothes for free. Nix provides quarters for the machines, detergent and supplies. Volunteers help keep things running and occasionally provide meals for those who show up.

In addition to the laundry service, Nix focuses on fellowship with the men, women and children who use the service.

As a surprise, Rowe's team gave Nix a van equipped with laundry machines so she can take her laundromat service on the road and reach people who might not be able to make it to Coin Laundry on Wednesday nights.

For Frankie is always taking donations. Anyone interested in giving materials, time or money can do so at forfrankie.org.

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