Habitat congratulates long-time partner Whirlpool Corporation on 100th anniversary -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l 1
Habitat congratulates long-time partner Whirlpool Corporation on 100th anniversary
BRATISLAVA (February 22, 2011) – Habitat for Humanity International congratulated Whirlpool Corporation as it moved into its yearlong 100th anniversary celebration. Whirlpool is one of Habitat’s largest corporate partners with active projects in 22 countries. Since 1999, the company’s aggregate Habitat contributions have exceeded $73 million, and more than 6,000 Whirlpool employees have volunteered on Habitat build sites around the world.
“We offer our heartiest congratulations to Whirlpool upon reaching this important milestone,” said Habitat chief executive officer Jonathan Reckford, “Whirlpool Corporation and its employees share with Habitat the passionate desire to improve the lives of families, and we are exceedingly grateful for their partnership.”
This year, as always, Whirlpool Europe, Middle East & Africa is sending four teams of volunteers to build homes with Habitat. To mark 100 years of the company that Whirlpool is celebrating throughout 2011, one of these teams will have 100 members in Romania. The other three teams will be in the Middle East and Africa – an area Whirlpool is keen to support as it expands its business there. The corporation has also unveiled its plans to substantially increase its support to Habitat in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
In Europe and Central Asia, Whirlpool donates a refrigerator, hood and washer to every Habitat home built where Whirlpool Europe sells appliances. In North America, the cornerstone of Whirlpool Corporation’s partnership with Habitat is a gift-in-kind donation program through which Whirlpool donates a range and an ENERGY STAR®-qualified refrigerator for every new home built.
The company’s activities in Latin America include construction funding and volunteerism in Brazil and Argentina. Whirlpool has donated more than 125,000 appliances in support of more than 69,000 families through these programs.
Whirlpool has been a long-time supporter of Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, sponsoring projects in the United States, Canada, Mexico, India and China.
Whirlpool Corporation has leveraged other corporate relationships to benefit the Habitat partnership. The Whirlpool sponsorship of the Women’s Tennis Association led to the adoption of Habitat for Humanity as the official European cause for the WTA Tour from 2005 to 2008. For more information on the partnership, visit Habitat.org or www.whirlpool.com/habitat.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built and renovated more than 400,000 homes worldwide. In Europe and Central Asia, Habitat works in 22 countries with partners, donors and volunteers from the region. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit www.habitateurope.org
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion, 70,000 employees, and 68 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional information about the company can be found at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.