GE Appliances donates more than 100 appliances for new laundry centers in JCPS schools

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- GE Appliances launched a new partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools to provide the district more than 100 appliances for new laundry centers inside schools across the city.

JCPS made the official announcement Friday morning at Maupin Elementary School.

"GE Appliances has a long-standing partnership with JCPS, from tutoring and mentoring, to providing kitchen suites for culinary education programs," Peter Pepe, vice president of Clothes Care for GE Appliances, said in a news release Friday. "We've also provided laundry appliances for multiple family resource centers across the district. Through those donations, we learned the need for laundry appliances goes well beyond teaching daily life skills, but actually affects student attendance and performance by supplying a resource for students who may not have access to laundry services at home or in their neighborhood. We're committed to families across this city we call home. If the donation of laundry appliances helps student attendance and performance, we're all in without question."

Fern Creek has had a laundry center for the past few years, and staff said it's been a game-changer.

"Our principal did some research and found out 6% of students miss school because they don't have access to a washer and dryer and clean laundry," said Koki Harris, head of student support at Fern Creek. "So we started this program. I could tell right away some of the kids — that were struggling that lacked confidence — just providing the basic necessities they need provided the confidence they needed to be successful."

Friday's announcement kicked off GE Appliances's Global Day of Volunteerism.

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