Whirlpool Brand Announces First-Ever Global Expansion Of Care Counts™ Laundry Program, Coming To South America

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Dec. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Care Counts™ laundry program by Whirlpool brand will enter its first international market in 2022: Colombia.

The program, which launched in the U.S. in 2015, was designed to remove one small but important barrier to attendance - access to clean clothes -  by installing washers and dryers in select schools. Since its inception, the program has contributed to decreases in chronic absenteeism, and increases in attendance rates, grades and engagement levels among participating at-risk elementary students¹.

The expansion comes off the heels of Whirlpool brand's collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios' Encanto, the all-new film now playing in theaters, that tells the story of a Colombian family living in a magical house. Through the film, it is clear that a touch of magic can play a meaningful role in caregiving, both in the home and beyond. Whirlpool brand believes in the immense power of small acts of care and how a touch of magic can help make caregiving easier, which is why the brand is excited to bring the Care Counts™ laundry program to families across Colombia.

"Introducing the Care Counts™ laundry program by Whirlpool brand to an international market has been a hope of ours from the start,'' said Laura Fletty, communications manager, Whirlpool brand. "We are ecstatic to begin the careful and thoughtful growth of this beloved program outside of the United States, with the goal of providing access to clean clothes to schoolchildren on a global scale."

Whirlpool Corporation's Andean Region Director, Santiago Nuñez Castro added, "We are excited to get this program up and running in Colombia. Care Counts™ is something we've been wanting to bring to our region for quite some time, as we're confident it will make a significant impact in the South American region. We're very grateful the collaboration with Whirlpool brand U.S and Disney's Encanto has enabled us to make this dream a reality."

The Care Counts™ laundry program's expansion has been a goal of the Whirlpool brand team since it was started six years ago. The U.S. program now serves 134 schools and students across 36 states. Whirlpool brand's U.S. team will collaborate closely with counterparts in the Latin American region to introduce the program to several schools in Colombia.

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/everydaycare or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/whirlpoolusa or Twitter at @WhirlpoolUSA. Additional information about the company can be found at whirlpoolcorp.com.

¹ High-risk elementary school students is defined as elementary students at risk of missing 10% or more days of school during a reporting period

SOURCE Whirlpool Brand