PHOENIX -- Vice President Joe Biden stopped in the Valley Monday morning, touting the success of the administration's economic recovery package.
Biden acknowledged Arizona has been hard hit by tough economic times.
"You suffered so badly," Biden said. "You were in the third worst shape of any state in the nation."
He met with local leaders and small business owners Monday, discussing the benefits the state has seen in the few months.
Biden said thousands of teachers have jobs, infrastructure is being updated and small businesses are able to grow during the tough economy.
One of those small business owners who has had success thanks to the stimulus package is Jason Blumenthal.
Eleven months ago, Blumenthal was down on his luck. He had recently been laid-off and was hurting for money, but thanks to a small business loan, the Vice President called him an example of prosperity through tough times.
"We used our loan from the government for a couple of different things," Blumenthal said. "One we used it to leverage our main loan, but we also used it to further our products and services."
The Vice President commended Blumenthal's laundry service for becoming profitable and environmentally friendly.
"Literally, the best use of clean energy I have seen yet. Literally, 'clean energy'," Biden joked.
By using high efficiency washers and dryers, Jason's Blu Sudz laundromat is saving both water and gas.
He's planning on putting in a water reclaiming device to purify the water his washers put out, and a solar-powered heater to help cut costs on hot water.
"When we bought this business, our goal was to do what we can do to make this business as green as we can for us, but also the community," Blumenthal said.
He introduced a detergent that saves on packaging and encourages his customers to recycle their containers.
These are all steps that led to a close encounter with the Vice President he says he will never forget.
"If you asked me a year ago after I got laid off if I would be sitting with the Vice President 11 months later, I would have laughed at you," Blumenthal said.
