Whirlpool leads Habitat’s efforts to build affordable homes in Slovakia

MOLDAVA NAD BODVOU, SLOVAKIA (June, 2009)--Seventeen employees from Whirlpool Poprad joined Habitat for Humanity in launching a Global Village program in Slovakia when volunteers from all over the world travel to help families in need of simple, decent shelter. Whirlpool team together with Habitat and its partner organization ETP Slovakia worked on building affordable homes for underprivileged Roma families in Moldava nad Bodvou. The initial stage of the project will provide by the end of the year 12 simple apartments for families in need of decent shelter.

“We appreciate the motivation and commitment of the team, and their hard work on the construction site. Within two working days they completed roof insulation for all 12 apartments. We are really grateful to Whirlpool and look forward to our future cooperation,” said Robert Vlasic, a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity’s Europe and Central Asia office who participated in the build.

Whirlpool has supported Habitat for Humanity in the fight against poverty housing for a decade and expanded their partnership to initiatives across Europe since 2004; the year in which Whirlpool also introduced the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour to the collaborative charitable work. To date, Whirlpool has contributed to the construction, renovation and rehabilitation of almost 6,500 homes in Europe and Central Asia.

Habitat for Humanity International has been collaborating with ETP Slovakia since 2004. In Slovakia, ETP and Habitat deliver a tailor-made social housing project for people who experience poverty. So far, this pilot has served more than 360 families in 14 towns and villages by offering loans up to €1,200 for home improvement purposes.

About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its foundation in 1976, Habitat has built and renovated more than 300,000 houses worldwide. In Europe and Central Asia Habitat for Humanity is present in 20 countries, building and repairing houses, offering housing microfinance services, improving water and sanitation, working on disaster response and advocating for affordable housing, all with families in need. Find out more at www.habitateurope.org

About Whirlpool
With around 14,000 employees, a sales presence in over 30 European countries and manufacturing sites in seven countries, Whirlpool Europe is a wholly owned subsidiary of Whirlpool Corporation. The world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances Whirlpool Corporation has annual sales of approximately $19 billion, 70,000 employees, and 69 manufacturing and technology research centres around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.

Whirlpool’s European Operations’ Centre is located in Comerio (VA), Italy. For further information on the company, please visit the Web Site www.whirlpool.eu

ETP Slovakia
ETP Slovakia is a non-profit consulting organization working for ten years in more than twenty communities which face multiple deprivation and generational poverty in Slovakia, mostly with Roma clients. ETP Slovakia believes that communities facing multiple problems require new approaches that treat people in poverty as problem solvers.