Wendy Bannahan

There’s no doubt about it. Mother Nature is grumpy. In the past decade, she has lashed, wreaked havoc, without discrimination, all over the world including our typically less affected country. Historically, The United States has been very fortunate and escaped the wrath of her darkest furies. While California is still awaiting the massive earthquake that is predicted to send the state reeling into the Pacific Ocean and seceding from the Continental United States, Mother Nature’s bad attitude has been unleashed in places like Waterloo, Iowa; Hanover, West Virginia; and, Liberty, Kentucky. These places exist, you might ask?

What about New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas that were devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav? Without a doubt, these cities collapsed in wreckage and the outpouring of support in restoring the lives of their citizens was, and continues to be, an amazing testament to the kindness of mankind. How many volunteers, though, signed up and went to Gowanda, NY to assist the victims of the flood that occurred in August 2009? I can’t tell you how many organizations were there, but I do know that one great American commercial institution, founded in 1837, provided a free service to these unfortunate souls during these, and other, disasters.

Through its program, “Tide Loads of Hope,” Procter & Gamble does not rebuild homes and libraries. Instead, the Company rebuilds self-esteem and dignity to those who have lost everything but the clothes on their backs and a few donated pairs of jeans and pajamas. When living in a tent city, being able to shower and put on a set of clean clothing is the first step in restoring some sense of normalcy in lives that have literally been washed or blown away.

Three basic needs of the human race are food, shelter and clothing. One laundry load at a time, Procter & Gamble provides the denizens of the temporary tent cities some much needed comfort and a small ray of hope. One might ask, “Are you kidding? How important can a clean shirt be when you’ve lost everything?”

Try walking around and sleeping in the same pair of pants, shirt, socks, and underwear for one week and see how you feel.

By the end of the seven days, you’ll be setting fire to that outfit so that you never have to look at it again. Then, take a shower and put on a new set of clean clothes. Did you notice a difference in the way that you felt about yourself and your surroundings? You know the true, intrinsic value of the charity work that Procter & Gamble provides through Tide’s “Loads of Hope” program.

You've seen the advertisements on television and probably haven’t given them a second thought. The next time one of Tide’s “Loads of Hope” commercials airs on television, don’t channel surf. Put the remote down and look at the faces of the people telling the camera how important having the ability to dress in clean clothes is to them at this lowest of low time in their lives. Watch the Tide family in the background doing laundry from the “Loads of Hope” mobile Laundromat truck. They don’t look up at the camera to grab their fifteen minutes of fame. They just continue stuffing washing machines, emptying driers and folding clothes. So far, the Tide folks have done 30,000 loads of laundry for the sake of families affected by disaster. Look at the line of people standing by the truck waiting for their clothes. The scene is inspiring, humbling, distressing, emotional and satisfying simultaneously.

When it’s time for you to purchase some laundry detergent for your personal needs, look for the familiar bright orange bottle of liquid Tide. For the first time in the detergent’s 60 year history, you’ll notice a significant difference in Tide’s label. The new face of Tide is just that – faces of people who have been helped by the “Loads of Hope” program. You’ll also notice a bright yellow cap replacing the standard transparent one that has been used for decades. When you purchase laundry detergent, think about picking the bright orange bottle with faces and a bright yellow cap, I know that I will. Tide may cost a little more than the store’s generic brand or other competitive brands, but that’s okay. For every bottle of “Loads of Hope” Tide detergent that is sold, Procter & Gamble donates $.10 to disaster relief efforts. While I am not the right age demographic to be considered “cool” walking around in a Tide vintage tee-shirt, if you do fit that profile, Procter & Gamble donates 100% of the sales price of these tee shirts to disaster relief. The tee-shirts are available through Tide’s website. The present goal is to raise $500,000 to provide relief to Haiti.

I, personally, tip my hat to Procter & Gamble and the company’s marketing geniuses who have reached new heights in cause and emotional marketing. During my lifetime, I have probably done double the number of laundry loads as Tide’s “Loads of Hope” has washed and dried. I’ve also never used Tide to do them. I will now.

How about you? Will you switch to Tide laundry detergent to help the cause?

Photograph Credit:
Sabrina Segal