News — New York, NY — May 6, 2025 — Eastern Funding, a longtime champion of the industry, has teamed up with the CLA (formerly the Coin Laundry Association) to take its support to a new level. The company is part of a year-long sponsorship initiative that will have benefits for the entire industry.
Launched in 2023, CLA’s Strategic Corporate Ally program aims to strengthen services for association members and ensure a growing and prosperous industry at large. Eastern Funding is one of five companies to commit as an Elite sponsor, the highest level of the program.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Eastern Funding to our Elite Strategic Corporate Allies,” said Brian Wallace, CLA President and CEO. “The commitment by these generous and visionary companies will enhance the vital work of our association and allow us to work together in a more strategic way toward shared goals.”
“Eastern Funding is deeply committed to the communities it serves. It is our belief that small businesses, particularly vended laundries, are the heart of communities across the country. CLA provides support to laundry business owners as well as their patrons and families,” said Eastern Funding President, Nancy Robles. “Eastern Funding is more than a finance company, we are partners and allies striving to make a heartfelt impact.”
CLA’s Wallace stressed the importance of the program.
“As our industry experiences unprecedented change, it’s important for CLA to evolve as well,” he said. “The Strategic Corporate Ally program will enable us to even better support our members as they navigate uncertain waters.”
This support includes educational resources, networking opportunities and business services as well as critical advocacy work. For example, when the pandemic hit, CLA immediately pushed for laundromats to be deemed essential businesses, ensuring their doors could stay open.
The industry also benefits from CLA’s LaundryCares Foundation. Among other efforts, LaundryCares has equipped hundreds of laundromats across the country with library corners. These spaces provide a valuable service to customers—particularly in areas with low literacy rates and little access to books—and they boost the image of member businesses.
The Strategic Corporate Ally program not only funnels more resources into these efforts, but it also streamlines companies’ support of CLA into cohesive annual commitments.
About Eastern Funding
Eastern Funding LLC is a specialty finance lender to businesses nationwide. The markets it serves include laundry, car wash, grocery, and fitness and wellness industries. Since its inception in 1997, the company has financed more than $3 billion in projects including new equipment purchases, store acquisitions and commercial real estate transactions.
The company’s mission is to be the lender of choice for business owners by providing innovative financing with expert industry knowledge and an extraordinary customer experience while having a positive impact on the lives of its diverse employees and communities. Eastern Funding LLC is a subsidiary of Brookline Bank. Learn more at easternfunding.com.
About the Coin Laundry Association
CLA (formerly the Coin Laundry Association) is the largest trade association and most powerful voice for the self-service laundry industry. CLA’s 1,500+ members include laundry owners, equipment distributors, service providers and manufacturers across the U.S. and beyond. They count on the association for advocacy, education, networking and support services to build more successful businesses and ensure a growing and prosperous industry. CLA’s reach also extends into underserved communities through its LaundryCares Foundation. Working through laundromat owners, LaundryCares provides library corners, free laundry days and other resources for customers who often lack access to basic services. Learn more at and .
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