Pledge Commitment in Progress
Investing in the area’s youth is investing in the future of the region. By partnering with Benton Harbor Area Schools, Whirlpool employees and the Whirlpool Foundation have been able to provide support in several critical areas:
Food Insecurity
Starting in 2021, the Feel Good Fridge program launched in the Benton Harbor area with distribution at multiple sites including Benton Harbor High School. Food for this program is provided by Feeding America and distribution is staffed by Whirlpool employee volunteers. Learn More
School Supplies
In partnership with the Berrien Community Foundation, Whirlpool is proud to support the Backpacks for Good campaign for students in the 49022 (Benton Harbor) zip code providing both supplies and volunteers to prepare the backpacks for distribution. This program ensures students have the basic supplies needed to support their education. The annual events from 2021-2023 provided nearly 5,000 backpacks for local students. Learn More
Technology Access
Keeping both guardians & residents informed and connected with what is happening at school fosters a community of growth and learning for students. The Community Roar bus makes this process a little bit easier by bringing what they need to succeed directly to the community with laptops, wifi, and support readily available on the bus. Learn More
Literacy
Whirlpool is proud to support literacy through the funding of the Beyond Basics program with Benton Harbor native Joique Bell’s foundation and several book drives for Benton Harbor students (with more to come!).
Recruiting & Retention
In 2022, Whirlpool established a partnership with Florida A&M University as part of the Racial Equality Pledge’s recruiting workstream. Through this connection, Whirlpool & BHAS officials were able to meet with the FAMU School of Education to bring teaching opportunities to recent graduates. So far, one teacher has joined the BHAS faculty as a result of this partnership.