Care Counts™ Laundry Program by Whirlpool Brand Expands Efforts to Improve Access to Clean Clothes, Boosting Attendance Rates Across the U.S.

Now in its ninth year, the Care Counts™ laundry program is positively impacting 164 schools in 41 states, with new expansion into Alaska

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The rate of chronic absenteeism nearly doubled nationally from 2018 to 2022, and has only modestly declined since then. It now impacts approximately 30 percent of students across the country¹, underscoring a major and ongoing need for programs that assist in re-engaging students and providing solutions that prevent them from missing school. For the ninth year, Whirlpool brand is proud to continue to expand its Care Counts™ Laundry Program, now providing washers and dryers to 164 schools across 41 states.

In partnership with school teachers, administrators, developmental psychologists, and long-time collaborator, Teach For America, the Care Counts™ laundry program works with participating schools experiencing high rates of absenteeism to remove one small but important barrier to attendance – access to clean clothes – by installing washers and dryers in schools.  This year, the laundry program is expanding to 10 new schools in states including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alaska, Texas, and Oregon, adding to a robust roster that has helped more than 50,000 students gain access to clean clothes since the program's inception in 2015.

For the last nine years, the program has contributed to decreases in chronic absenteeism, which has led to improvements in grades and self-esteem among participating at-risk students. In analyzing the most recent data from the 2023-2024 school year, Whirlpool brand found that:

• Nearly 87% of participating high-risk elementary school students² saw an increase in attendance.
• Participating high-risk elementary school students³ saw an average increase in attendance rate that would result in being in school 13 more days across a full academic year.
• Nearly 74% of participating high-risk elementary school students⁴ decreased their level of chronic absenteeism while in the Care Counts™ laundry program.

"We're so grateful to Teach for America and the new and existing school leaders and educators participating in the Care Counts™ laundry program who are helping combat absenteeism on a daily basis," said Magdalena Pawelec, Senior Director, Brand Marketing at Whirlpool Corporation. "By continuing to grow the Care Counts™ laundry program, together we are creating a positive and direct impact not only for students, but also their entire households."

"With almost a decade of measurable impact, there's no doubt that our data tells a powerful story: Access to washers and dryers, and in turn, clean clothes, is truly instrumental in lowering absenteeism for at-risk students," said Richard Rende, Ph.D., developmental psychologist, and researcher supporting the program. "We've also seen that increases in attendance rates lead to boosts in grades and self-esteem, which puts these children on track to experience further academic, social and personal growth through childhood and beyond."

To learn more about the Care Counts™ Laundry Program by Whirlpool brand, visit https://www.whirlpool.com/care-counts.

About Whirlpool Brand

For more than one hundred years, Whirlpool brand has been inspired by how people care for their families. Whirlpool brand is designing home appliances that are focused on improving how families give and get the care they need with the latest technologies and innovations – whether that means flexible refrigerator storage for all types of family needs, induction technology for efficient cooking and easier cleaning, or laundry pairs that sense and adapt to clothes with the latest in connected technologies. Whirlpool brand created and continues outpacing goals of its Care Counts™ Laundry Program, through which the brand is committed to helping create educational equality by installing washers and dryers in schools to help remove one small but important barrier to attendance – access to clean clothes. Whirlpool brand is part of Whirlpool Corporation, a leading appliance manufacturer committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home.

For more information on Whirlpool, please visit whirlpool.com or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/whirlpoolusa, Instagram at @whirlpoolusa, or TikTok at @whirlpoolusa. Additional information about the company can be found at whirlpoolcorp.com.

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SOURCE Whirlpool Brand