In March this year, local cleaning business WeClean reached out to us to see how they could help with our annual fundraising drive Spring for Thrive. We hadn't heard of their business before, but what they shared made us jump for joy! WeClean was started by three friends with a heart to build a business that would help make the world a better place.
"We are mission-driven people by nature, so when we spotted a hole in the market that lined up with a historically exploitive, outdated, and environmentally damaging industry, we jumped at the opportunity to reimagine it in a more equitable, modern, and sustainable way. Essentially, cleaning is our tool to change our little corner of the world."
WeClean believes that supporting the community that uses their services is integral to the work that they do. They are part of a movement called "Pledge 1%", where businesses commit to supporting their communities' nonprofits by pledging 1% of their profits to organizations. WeClean committed to taking care of their customers, their cleaners, the community, and the planet.
To say these things is one thing, but to actually put words into action is another- and WeClean does it! What really got us excited about WeClean is that they pay their cleaners well above a living hourly wage AND they offer their staff 2 hours/week paid volunteer hours!
"Being hyperlocal is at the heart of our company because we love our communities. We saw that the cleaning industry was broken and exploitive on so many levels, and thought we could make a difference by fixing it while also building a company our neighbors would be happy to support and would miss if it ever left.
So they set out to establish a company that does three things:
Creates great jobs that pay a living wage and treat everyone with dignity and respect.
Provide an easy online booking platform so people can get instant quotes with simple, transparent pricing.
Give back to every community they serve.
When we asked them how they found us at Thrive, they said that the community told them! They love that Thrive helps people navigate the often impossible system of housing in Central Oregon and that their clients (who already have a home!) can help people find safe and affordable housing. WeClean says that they "believe everyone deserves a safe place to live, so there's something lovely about giving some of the money that people spent getting their homes cleaned to help ensure that others are able to have safe homes as well".
While Thrive Central Oregon helps our community members find affordable and sustainable homes for their families, WeClean cleans Central Oregon's homes and supports efforts to house folks in need. We hope that our partnership with WeClean is only the start of something greater. We would like to encourage more housing-related businesses to pledge a percentage of their profits to supporting our services, but we need help getting the word out! Do you know a business in construction, real estate, rentals, cleaning, or hotels? If so, please email us at sarah@thrivecentraloregon.org with the subject line "Our Place Central Oregon" so that together we can bridge the gap between the housing industry and those in need.