KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There aren’t many pieces of equipment, at any school anywhere, that can make a dramatic impact on attendance, test scores and the overall self-esteem of students.
But teachers say it’s happening at more and more schools all across the metro.
So what are these new-age contraptions that can deliver so much promise? Would you believe they’re the standard washer and dryer units for laundry?
“Absolutely, I didn’t know before I came here either,” said Gina Boos with the United Way of Greater Kansas City. “And there’s been studies that show it really does help attendance because it’s one less thing they have to worry about.”
That’s why for its Giving Tuesday fundraiser, for the fourth year in a row, the United Way is asking people to donate money for the “Loads of Love” campaign. The goal is to raise $25,000 for washer and dryer units at schools across the metro.
It’s already being called a huge success in the Hickman Mills School District.
Pre-K teacher Julie Schmidt tells FOX4 the immediate impact on student’s self-esteem can be dramatic.
“They go from being slumped down like this, not making eye contact with anybody,” Schmidt said. “To standing up nice and proud. And that’s an easy thing to do at a school, to give them the basic needs.”
You can donate to the ‘Loads of Love’ campaign by texting ‘LoveKC’ to 41-444.