ATLANTA, Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE:
AAN), a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions,
and its divisions Aaron's and Progressive Leasing, joined forces
with former NFL star Warrick Dunn
this summer to provide furnishings for four "Homes for the
Holidays" surprise presentations, bringing the running total of
home celebrations to 181 over the nearly 23-year history of the
program.
The donations, representing a $40,000 commitment by Aaron's to help first-time
homeowners, came in collaboration with Warrick Dunn Charities, a
national nonprofit that has counted Aaron's as a critical supporter
for over 16 years. "Homes for the Holidays" celebrates single
parents who are actively working to help themselves through
first-time homeownership by alleviating the additional financial
burdens that can come along with establishing a new home. While the
houses themselves are constructed and financed through Habitat for
Humanity, the surprise comes when the families discover they are
fully furnished and stocked thanks to Aaron's, with Warrick Dunn
Charities contributing down-payment assistance.
With new social distancing measures put in place to ensure
everyone's safety, the summer events celebrated milestones for
extraordinary families in Pleasantville,
Iowa, Snellville, GA, Spartanburg, SC and Concord, NC. The Pleasantville project supported a mother of
four whose husband was lost in a tragic construction accident;
Snellville was for a military
veteran and mom of five boys; Spartanburg celebrated a dedicated hospital
caretaker who also cares for two boys at home; and Concord rewarded a school bus driver who
previously shared a small bed with her only son in her
grandmother's overcrowded home.
"Even during a global pandemic, Warrick
Dunn and his team are an inspiration, as their tireless work
allows these families to proudly call themselves homeowners," said
John Robinson, CEO of Aaron's, Inc.
"This partnership benefits single parents everywhere, and Aaron's
is honored to help give these deserving families the support they
need to truly own the life they want."
Aaron's has partnered with Dunn, the former Atlanta Falcons and
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, to lift up families for over 16
years. Dunn's drive to help single mothers is inspired by his mom,
a single parent and police officer who was killed off-duty when
Dunn was 18.
"I'm so proud of my team for finding a way to bring these homes
to life, regardless of the difficult circumstances presented by
COVID-19," said Dunn. "We have now completed 181 homes as part of
this longstanding program, and each home and family represent a
singular testament to my mom's memory. I'm eternally grateful to
Aaron's for being on our team as we continue our mission – we
simply wouldn't be where we are today without them."
Additional support for the Iowa
and Georgia homes was provided by
Ryan Jumonville, while the Carolina
Panthers Player Impact Committee sponsored the projects in
South Carolina and North Carolina.
About Aaron's, Inc.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), is a
leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions. Aaron's
Business engages in the sales and lease ownership and specialty
retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and
accessories through its approximately 1,400 company-operated and
franchised stores in 47 states and Canada as well as its e-commerce platform,
Aarons.com. In addition, Progressive Leasing, a virtual
lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through
over 20,000 retail locations in 46 states. Vive Financial, provides
a variety of second-look credit products that are originated
through federally insured banks. For more information, visit
Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and ViveCard.com.
About Warrick Dunn Charities
Warrick Dunn Charities,
Inc. improves lives through innovative programming inspired by our
Founder's life journey. Homes for the Holidays partners with local
community organizations to reduce the financial burden on single
parent homeowners by fully furnishing their new house, providing
down payment assistance, and stocking the pantry with food and
other household necessities.
Since 1997, "Homes for the Holidays" has rewarded 181 single
parents nationwide who have achieved first-time homeownership.
Today, Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc. has expanded their flagship
Homes for the Holidays initiative with three additional
programs: Count on Your Future, SCULPT, and Hearts
for Community Service Scholarships. Together, our four programs are
dedicated to strengthening families and transforming communities by
combating poverty, hunger, and improving their quality of life
academically, socially, and economically. For more information,
visit www.wdc.org.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aarons--former-nfl-star-turn-homeownership-dreams-into-reality-301148920.html
SOURCE Aaron's, Inc.