Whirlpool Brand Increases Access to Laundry in Schools Through Its Care Counts™ Laundry Program

Appliances installed in schools through the program now provide an estimated 50,000 students across 40 states with access to clean clothes, helping to combat chronic absenteeism

Whirlpool brand announces its eighth and biggest year of the Care Counts™ Laundry Program, which provides access to washers and dryers in schools primarily located in underserved communities. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the program has expanded to 154 schools across 40 states, including new schools in Connecticut, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon. The program now provides an estimated 50,000 students with clean clothes, a driver of absenteeism in the United States. Chronic absenteeism remains a national education crisis, impacting an estimated 16 million students across the country¹, or approximately one in three students.

“We are immensely proud of the profoundly positive impact that the Care Counts™ Laundry Program has had in decreasing absenteeism in participating schools; not only has the program had a direct impact in increasing student attendance, but also their grades,” said Nelly Martinez, senior brand leader for Whirlpool brand. “At the core of our brand’s values lies a deep commitment to improving the lives of families, and this program continues to reflect our purpose with a meaningful impact on a critical issue.”

We are immensely proud of the profoundly positive impact that the Care Counts™ Laundry Program has had in decreasing absenteeism in participating schools; not only has the program had a direct impact in increasing student attendance, but also their grades,” said Nelly Martinez, senior brand leader for Whirlpool brand.

With support from Teach For America, the Care Counts™ Laundry Program by Whirlpool brand has increased attendance rates and grades since the program’s inception in 2015. Based on findings from the 2022-2023 academic year, nearly 80% of participating high-risk elementary school students2 where the program is active saw an increase in attendance.

“As a former teacher, I’ve seen what the lack of basic resources would have on my students and how something as simple as a clean shirt could make a major difference,” said McKenzie Roney, Managing Director of Corporate Partnerships at Teach For America. “Since TFA began supporting the Care Counts™ Laundry Program by Whirlpool brand, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in attendance, grades and even student engagement within their classrooms.”

In analyzing the impact of the Care Counts™ Laundry Program since its inception, Whirlpool brand has observed:

• Participating high-risk elementary school students³ saw an average increase in attendance rate that would result in 16 more days in school across a full academic year.
• Nearly 68% of participating high-risk elementary school students4 decreased their level of chronic absenteeism while in the Care Counts™ Laundry Program.
• Nearly 61% of participating high-risk students5 were no longer at risk for chronic absenteeism at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year.

By 2028, Whirlpool brand is committed to expanding the Care Counts™ Laundry Program to all 50 states and doubling the number of participating schools in the fight to eliminate chronic absenteeism. Beyond Teach For America, Whirlpool will continue to work with schoolteachers, administrators and researchers to monitor the impact of the program.

“There is an undoubtable research-based correlation between access to clean clothes and attendance given the lack of resources available to students nationwide” said Richard Rende, Ph.D., a developmental psychologist and researcher supporting the program. “Whirlpool has made tremendous strides in combating the issue of absenteeism with this successful, hands-on approach, and this is set to continue on a positive trajectory as the program grows.”

For a visual representation of the program’s impact, Whirlpool brand has also released Care Counts Continued, a short film that features students, teachers and other partners who have benefitted from the Care Counts™ Laundry Program since its start. To learn more about the Care Counts™ Laundry Program by Whirlpool brand, visit https://www.whirlpool.com/care-counts.

¹Source: A Review of State Attendance Data Policy and Practice in School Year 2022-23
²High-risk elementary school students are defined as elementary students who have missed 10% or more days of school during a reporting period.
³High-risk elementary school students are defined as elementary students who have missed 10% or more days of school during a reporting period.
⁴High-risk elementary school students are defined as elementary students who have missed 10% or more days of school during a reporting period.
⁵High-risk elementary school students are defined as elementary students who have missed 10% or more days of school during a reporting period.