ATLANTA, Aug. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc.
(NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease ownership and
specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home
appliances and accessories, on Monday announced that the
Aaron's Foundation will renew its partnership with Boys & Girls
Clubs of America (BGCA) with a three-year, $5 million commitment to the Keystone Club, its
premier national teen leadership and character program. A special
event was held to announce the expanded partnership at the Warren
Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta
and included a Keystone Club makeover valued at $25,000.
"Aaron's has a long tradition of giving back to the more than
2,000 communities where our stores are located across the country,"
said John Robinson, Aaron's Chief
Executive Officer. "With 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the
country, we believe this will continue to be a great partnership
directly benefiting youth in the communities where both
organizations have a presence. We've had a tremendous first
year of partnership and with a new three-year commitment, Boys
& Girls Clubs of America will be able to reach even more teens
through the Keystone program."
"Our goal of ensuring that today's generation achieves the great
futures of tomorrow wouldn't be possible without the support of
Aaron's and other companies committed to helping kids and teens who
need us most," said Jim Clark,
President and Chief Executive Officer of BGCA. "We want to give
young people a chance to contribute something of value to others
and have a voice in how that gets done, and Aaron's support of
Keystone helps gives young people this opportunity."
The new $5 million partnership
agreement will run for three years and builds upon the successes
the two organizations achieved in their initial one-year,
$1 million partnership announced in
May 2014. Similar to the Warren Club
Keystone Teen Center makeover completed on Monday, Aaron's will
donate furniture, electronics, and appliances to remodel 24 Clubs
across the country over the next three years. This philanthropic
partnership is Aaron's largest non-profit commitment to date and
focuses on empowering teens to effect positive change in their Club
and community through service projects and leadership.
The Aaron's Foundation partnership with BGCA's Keystone program
includes sponsorship of the National Keystone Conference, bringing
teens representing Keystone Clubs from around the globe together
each year for character and leadership development. The 2015
conference was held in April, where more than 1,600 teens convened
in Orlando, Florida, participating
in workshops, exchange ideas, lead service projects and socialize
with peers from various parts of the world. Teens helped plan and
coordinate the conference. A committee of Keystone Club members
drove the development of the conference topics, conducted debates,
facilitated breakout sessions, and presided over the opening and
closing sessions.
America's teens are in crisis. One in five students will not
graduate from high school, costing our nation $159 billion over their lifetimes. Through
Keystone and other BGCA programs, Aaron's is helping teens own
their future by taking ownership of their life to achieve their
potential. Aaron's hopes to inspire teens to "Own Their Future"
through three principles:
- Own Your Path: No matter where you come from, the future
is yours to decide.
- Own Your Decisions: Making good choices opens more doors
for your future.
- Own Your Community: Use your talents to make an impact
in your community.
Keystone Club is a program available to members ages 14-18 at
Clubs nationwide and on BGCA-affiliated youth centers on U.S.
military installations here and abroad. The program creates
opportunities for teens to participate in a variety of
developmental activities in education, career preparation and civic
engagement. The program is an essential element of BGCA's strategy
to engage and develop teens into productive citizens and
leaders.
About Aaron's, Inc.
Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease
ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer
electronics, home appliances and accessories, currently has more
than 2,000 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and
Canada. Aaron's was founded in
1955, is headquartered in Atlanta
and has been publicly traded since 1982. Progressive Leasing, a
wholly owned subsidiary and leading virtual lease-to-own company,
provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 16,000
retail locations in 46 states. Aaron's, Inc. includes the
Aarons.com, ShopHomeSmart.com and ProgLeasing.com brands. For
more information, visit www.aarons.com.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For
more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
(GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve
great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today,
more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually
through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located
in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the
country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth
Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a
safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact
youth development programs on a daily basis during critical
non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success,
good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris
Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives.
National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more
at Facebook and Twitter.
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SOURCE Aaron's, Inc.