iRobot to Donate Robots, STEM Resources to Historically Underserved Communities

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11/02/2021 - 06:55 AM

BEDFORD, Mass., Nov. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in consumer robots, is today kicking off #iRobotFor, a campaign dedicated to increasing the accessibility of – and resources for – STEM education in historically underserved communities. As part of the #iRobotFor campaign, iRobot customers can help support STEM programs in local communities simply by running their Wi-Fi connected Roomba robot vacuum or Braava jet robot mop. For every 15 hours that a connected Roomba or Braava jet cleans, iRobot will donate a Root^® coding robot and training session to help students discover new skills and explore the fundamentals of robotics¹.

To help bring the #iRobotFor campaign to fruition, iRobot is teaming up with The Clubhouse Network, an international non-profit organization that provides a creative and safe out-of-school learning environment for young people in areas of greatest need. iRobot will provide the Root coding robots and training sessions to Clubhouse Network locations.

"For more than a decade, iRobot has embarked on a STEM outreach program in schools and communities that enables our employees to speak directly with students and educators about the variety of opportunities and excitement that pursuing STEM-related fields can provide," said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. "Today, we're teaming with The Clubhouse Network – and with the help of our Roomba customers – to deliver STEM resources in communities that need it most."

"We know that talent is distributed equally, but resources are not. Youth from historically marginalized communities are less likely to have equal access to STEM tools and learning opportunities, and ultimately, less access to careers that require those STEM skills," said Gail Breslow, executive director, The Clubhouse Network. "By working with iRobot, our Clubhouses can provide access to STEM tools and activities to these young people and communities. Together, we can help create more opportunities for marginalized youth, and a more diverse workforce that benefits everyone."

iRobot customers who would like to help deliver STEM resources to The Clubhouse Network can participate simply by running their Wi-Fi connected iRobot product during the #iRobotFor campaign, which is now underway. The #iRobotFor campaign will culminate on #iRobotFor Day, November 30, when customers will be encouraged to run their robots with fellow Roomba robot vacuum and Braava jet owners on the same day. Additionally, an #iRobotFor giveaway will launch on December 1, asking people to use the #iRobotFor hashtag and share what they'd do with an hour back in their day, or nominate someone to get an hour back in theirs. Submissions using the featured hashtag on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook will be accepted December 1 – December 7, and iRobot will award a Roomba j7+ robot vacuums to 100 winning participants.

For more information:

More information on #iRobotFor can be found at: www.irobotfor.com.

Photos and videos of the Root coding robot can be found at: http://media.irobot.com/media-kits.

Please join iRobot on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

Follow iRobot CEO Colin Angle on Twitter and LinkedIn.

¹Based on Roomba^® and Braava^® robot run time. Certain limits apply; iRobot will donate up to 300 Root® coding robots

About iRobot Corporation
iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. iRobot created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba^®Robot Vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 30 million robots worldwide. iRobot's product line, including the Roomba^® and the Braava^® family of mopping robots, feature proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation. iRobot engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

About The Clubhouse Network
Founded nearly 30 years ago, The Clubhouse Network is now an international community of 100+ Clubhouses in 21 countries where young people from low-income communities become more creative, capable, and confident learners by exploring, experimenting, and expressing themselves with technology. Each Clubhouse provides a safe and free out-of-school learning environment where young people work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop new skills, and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology. Learn more at theclubhousenetwork.org.