Whirlpool Corporation's 'Real Whirled' Sales Development Program Donates Contents of Training Condo to Berrien County Emergency Shelter Services
Whirlpool Corporation’s sales development program, known as “Real Whirled,” has for 22 years been an innovative way to teach newly hired sales employees about Whirlpool Corp’s broad range of brands and products by having candidates live in a shared condominium and use those products on a daily basis. As the program begins to transition into a new format, the eight bedroom, eight bath condo has been emptied of its furnishings and appliances.
But when one door closes, another opens.
All of those condo contents have found a new life as donations to Berrien County Emergency Shelter Services, Inc. (ESS), a nonprofit that serves the homeless and those experiencing housing instability. Their various programs and support helps displaced residents of Berrien County, Michigan, where Whirlpool Corporation is headquartered, to get back on their feet, creating hope for a better future.
“In 2022 we will be moving forward with a hybrid training program for Real Whirled, where our participants will instead begin training in their respective sales territory,” said Real Whirled Program Manager Ashley Czubak. “They’ll have an opportunity to learn both face-to-face and virtually with their cohorts while they also begin to integrate into their role.”
The team realized that it doesn’t make sense to hold onto the items that were in the condo. “ As we reviewed options of what to do with the contents of the condo, we decided that it made sense to donate to a nonprofit that would support our local community,” said Czubak.
ESS is using the donated goods to furnish their shelter, as well as using some of the furniture and other items to help struggling families get back on their feet as they transition out of the shelter. Whirlpool Corp. paid for the transportation of the goods to the shelter and United Way volunteers packed all of the smaller items.
“There’s so much need out there for the services that ESS provides,” said Whirlpool Corporation VP of Sales David Cichocki, who also sits on the ESS board. “This donation allowed us to upgrade several of the rooms at the shelter.” In addition to small appliances and kitchen utensils, a number of products were put into the ESS’s resale shop for discounted sale to those in need.
“This was a great avenue for us to do good in the community and help a charity in need.”
