Benton Harbor Area Schools washing away worries for families with 'Care Counts' Program

BENTON HARBOR, Ind. -- Benton Harbor Area Schools is washing away worries for their families. The district is partnering with Whirlpool to keep kids in class through its ‘Care Counts’ program. 

Whirlpool donated washers and dryers to different buildings in the district, allowing them to get laundry done for families. 

The program gives students access to clean clothes, eliminating one more barrier to showing up for class. 

The washers and dryers are used daily, whether it's by school staff, or parents or caretakers coming in and doing their laundry. 

A big part of the program is also a long-term research study being done as students continue to use it. 

Once a need is identified by a family, a school representative will anonymously track the loads of laundry done and record that student’s attendance and grades throughout the year. 

A similar program is also available to students in South Bend Schools. 

Goodwill’s S.A.V.E outreach offers a ‘Wash Wednesday’ every week for parents or caretakers. 

You can bring 2-3 loads of laundry to Burton’s Laundry on Western Avenue and get your clothes taken care of for free. 

Programs like these not only help meet a need for families in the community, but also help students feel more confident and keep them in the classroom more often. 

Chief of Student Services for Benton Harbor Area Schools, Paul Korson says it’s about making sure everyone feels welcomed, and “that they feel like they have something that they can be proud of, and how you dress and how you feel is a huge part of how you present yourself.” 

For more information on the Care Counts program, visit Whirlpool’s website. 

To register or learn more about the Goodwill S.A.V.E Outreach’s laundry program, visit it’s Facebook page.