care counts

Care Counts™ Laundry Program by Whirlpool

Education has a laundry problem

Every day, thousands of kids miss school because they don’t have access to clean clothes. Whirlpool is installing washers and dryers in schools to help.

Spread The Word
Learn More
Care Counts
Spread The Word

Dirty clothes lead kids to drop out.

Elementary students who frequently miss school risk falling behind their peers and a limited future. That’s why 25% of teachers use their own resources to help kids with dirty clothes1. If laundry day could happen any day, students’ lives could change.

1 in 5 Kids
1 in 5

1 in 5 students don't have access to clean clothes2, making them more likely to miss school

Graduation Cap
7x

Kids who miss school are 7x more likely to drop out2

All this progress is just the beginning.

Since 2015, Whirlpool continues outpacing its goals of the Care Counts™ laundry program. But until all kids have access to clean clothes, these numbers will always feel too small.

38,000 Kids
50,000+ kids

have access to clean clothes through the program

82 Schools
134 schools

and counting are part of the program

18 Cities
69 cities in 34 states

have been impacted by the program

A teacher’s account of hope

A teacher’s account of hope

#CareCounts

Join the conversation about thousands of kids missing school and share to show you care.

Care Counts™ laundry program provides resources so that students can have the opportunity to succeed

What is the purpose of the program?
The Care Counts™ laundry program 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

How does the program work?
In every participating school, principals help identify a trusted teacher, administrator or parent liaison to act as a Program Leader. The Program Leader helps identify students to participate in the program and anonymously tracks their loads of laundry, attendance and grades throughout the school year. Knowing that every school is different, the process of laundering student clothes varies by school. For example, many Program Leaders ask parents to sign up for time slots, so they can come in to do laundry when it is most convenient for their schedule.

How do you know that access to clean clothes is linked to better attendance rates?
Whirlpool worked with school teachers, administrators and Dr. Richard Rende, Ph.D, an internationally recognized developmental psychologist and researcher, to draw research-based connections between access to clean clothes and attendance rates by creating the Care Counts™ laundry program.

1. 25% of public school teachers surveyed spend their own money on clothes for students and cleaning/laundering clothes for students.
2. Based on a survey conducted by phone within the United States by Braun Research from April 25 - May 8, 2019 among 600 public school teachers (18 years or older).

All money contributed to the Care Counts™ laundry program is managed by the Whirlpool Collective Impact Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. 100% of money donated will be used towards expanding the Care Counts™ laundry program to further the mission of helping families thrive by providing clean clothes to students in need. These donations are 100% tax deductible as part of Federal Income Tax.

The Whirlpool Collective Impact Fund’s principal place of business is at 2000 North M63 MD2611 Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Upon request, we will provide a financial disclosure statement and an estimate of the amount of funds that will be applied to the charitable purpose of the Care Counts™ laundry program.