Midtown is where Kingston's victims of NIMBY reside, the throngs to whom Christ preached and whom but for the grace of God go we. On that stretch of Kingston's upper Broadway adjoining the city's least-wealthy census tracts gather the city's poor, working or not, to stroll about or sit and gab on the benches of Radio Kingston's parklet.

In the midst of this human souk stands a clean, well-lighted place, the Broadway Bubble. Operated by local non-profit Kingston Midtown Rising and funded largely by Peter Buffett's NoVo in Kingston foundation, the Bubble entered its third year last weekend with a party and the debut of 39 new eco-friendly washing machines.

A beacon of hygiene and good order, the Bubble offers its clientele free soap, free dryers (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and a laundry pickup and delivery service for Midtown residents. But what truly sets the Bubble apart is its sister space Community Hub, an 850-square-foot facility used for free classes and training including language, fitness, financial literacy and a weekly recovery support group.

Saturday's party took up much of the Bubble's parking lot and green space with lots of kids, food, music including a live mariachi band and a performance by local martial arts/fitness program One Strike Fitness.

The party was “a huge success” according to Jill Pacheco, community programming lead for Kingston Midtown Rising. “The community came out and everyone had an amazing time with the music and dancing.”

As to what lies ahead Pacheco said, “We're going to continue to be a safe space in the community for all, and we're going to continue to uplift, connect and celebrate our community through programming and helping people.”