Whirlpool Care Counts Program Heads to School

From Dawn Dish Soap's powerful wildlife rescue campaign to Vaseline's "Healing Project," sometimes problems that have plagued communities or our environment can be solved with everyday products. But it's up to companies to think outside the box to envision how their products or services can appropriately lend a helping hand. In the most recent example, one appliance company got out of the home and into the classroom to address a unique issue.

When Whirlpool discovered 20 percent of students struggle with access to clean clothes and often skip school as a result, the company saw a clear opportunity to help. Whirlpool created the "Care Counts" program, installing washers and dryers in 17 U.S. schools to see if clean laundry could impact attendance rates. In its first year, the program washed 2,311 loads of laundry (an average of nearly 50 loads per participant) with astounding results. Whirlpool found over 93 percent of tracked students increased attendance – with at-risk students attending two more weeks of school over the previous year. But the program did more than just impact attendance rates: it also had a positive effect on kids once they were in the classroom.

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