# In-School Washing Machines Whirlpool's 'Care Counts' Program Increases School Attendance By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2016-09-03 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/care-counts References: [creativeguerrillamarketing](http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/guerrilla-marketing/whirlpool-increases-school-attendance-changing-one-simple-thing/) & [whirlpool](http://www.whirlpool.com/CareCounts) 'Care Counts' is the name of an initiative from [Whirlpool](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/limited-edition-front-load-washer) that involved stationing [washing machines in dryers in schools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backtoschool-hygiene) in response to the fact that "thousands of kids miss school just because they don’t have [clean clothes to wear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heart-of-lifewear)." In order to improve school attendance, Whirlpool took it upon themselves to provide laundry-washing facilities in a school, so that kids are able to fill a large bag full of clothing and have their items washed at school. Across 17 schools scattered across two school districts, 2,300 loads were washed, helping to reduce the overall days of school missed by many students. Donations to further the reach of Care Counts can be made through the campaign website and are collected through the Whirlpool Collective Impact Fund, which is a public charity. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.5/10 - Popularity: 8% | Activity: 28% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Youth](https://www.trendhunter.com/youth) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **In-school Laundry Services:** Schools could partner with laundry service providers to help increase attendance rates and convenience for families. - **Community Corporate Social Responsibility Programs:** Corporate entities can partner with schools and other organizations to develop programs to improve education-based attendance challenges. - **Education and Technology Integration:** Using technology to address the needs of education, like laundry facilities and reducing absenteeism, can help schools better meet their students' basic needs. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Education:** Providing necessary amenities, like laundry facilities, can help schools create a more equitable and conducive learning environment for all students. - **Retail:** Developing technology and facilities that are geared towards meeting the needs of educational attendance issues can be a potential market for retail and service providers. - **Corporate Social Responsibility:** Businesses looking to make a positive impact on communities can use initiatives like Whirlpool's 'Care Counts' as inspiration for CSR programs that provide solutions to local community problems. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Sizable Laundry Donation Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bath-body-works3.md) - [Charitable Laundry Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/loads-of-hope.md) - [Musical Washing Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/limited-edition-front-load-washer.md) - [Hygiene-Focused Disaster Relief Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tide-loads-of-hope.md) - [Climate-Friendly Laundry Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/samsung-and-coolblue.md) - [Fan-Powered Washer Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vent-system.md) - [Creative Laundry Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rewear-chair.md) - [AI-Driven Washing Innovations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smartwash-technology.md) - [Canadian Detergent Rebrands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swash.md)