CYPRESS, Texas - eTradeWire -- This Woman Knows has awarded its January/February 2026 microgrant to Fresh Connections Laundry & Learning Center, a community-centered laundromat founded by Nicole Williams that is transforming a once-neglected building into a welcoming space for connection, education, and neighborhood engagement.

Williams purchased the laundromat in April 2025 and immediately began working to rehabilitate a dilapidated building that had become a neighborhood eyesore. Through extensive cleaning, repairs, and infrastructure upgrades, she has been restoring the facility into a clean, safe, and inviting space that local residents look forward to visiting.

Fresh Connections now offers self-service and drop-off laundry services, along with a card payment system that allows customers to start machines using cash or card rather than relying solely on quarters. EBT payment capability is also planned.

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Williams said receiving the This Woman Knows microgrant was both a practical boost and an emotional affirmation of the work she is building.

"When I got the email letting me know that I was a grant recipient, I literally cried," Williams said. "I know it is a microgrant and that might seem dramatic, but this endeavor has been very hard and full of so many obstacles and challenges. I have done everything that I can on my own, with my own funds, but to fully realize the vision, there is so much more to do. Even the smallest amount of support makes a very significant difference in very tangible and practical ways."

Williams plans to use the grant to purchase insulation and drywall materials needed to complete the office space. Once the office is finished, she will be able to move furniture and supplies currently stored in the classroom, allowing renovations there to move forward.

She added that the grant also provided validation for a bold idea she pursued despite the challenges.

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"Being a grant recipient is not just about the practical," she said. "It also meant validation for my crazy idea and my leap of faith that I would be able to do this. I have put everything on the line to make this happen, and receiving this grant feels like wind beneath my sails."

"This is the kind of work that is at the center of This Woman Knows," said founder Lisa N. Alexander. "Rooted in community and service, it benefits everyone."

About This Woman Knows

This Woman Knows is a media and empowerment platform founded by Lisa N. Alexander to support women building visionary lives, brands and businesses. Through editorial storytelling, original content and a direct microgrant program, the platform invests in women-led initiatives and elevates stories centered on leadership, lived experience and community impact.

Learn more at
https://thiswomanknows.com/grant