Aaron Rents to donate time, products to veterans
Effort will include $500,000 in goods, services
Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, April 13, 2009
ATLANTA — Aaron Rents will launch a company-wide community outreach mission in Washington Tuesday as some 2,000 Aaron associates give their time and $500,000 in products and services to military veterans.
Associates of the Atlanta-based rent-to-own specialist will invest 5,600 hours in the program, which involves Aaron partnering with the Armed Forces Foundation on three events and participating in seven outreach projects throughout the day.
"It was fortuitous that at last year's annual meeting, we asked how many Aaron's associates were veterans, and were proud to learn of the large number of Armed Forces veterans we have as part of our company," said Aaron's President and CEO Robin Loudermilk.
"The work ethic, dedication and commitment to making the community a better place is part of the DNA of our company," he added.
The outreach projects include:
• Bethesda Naval Medical Center: Aaron's associates, executives and corporate and foundation partners will outfit four rooms with donated products including laptops, reclining chairs, and specially designed appliances that make cooking and meal preparation easier for soldiers who may have physical limitations and challenges
• Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center: Aaron's associates living in the Richmond, Va.-area painted and outfitted four rooms this month with donated products.
• National Mall: Associates will enhance the Mall and green space. Benches will be painted along the reflecting pool between the Washington Memorial and the Capitol and flowers and plants will be added.
• Shoes that Fit at Anne Beers Elementary: Aaron's will provide new shoes to 350 children and 70 adults at Anne Beers Elementary school.
• Walter Reed Appreciation Day at the Fisher House: Aaron's volunteers will perform site improvements including spreading mulch in the playground area, weather proofing and reassembling the playhouse and general landscaping.
• Walter Reed Appreciation Day at the Mologne House: NASCAR driver David Reutimann, Nationwide driver Ken Butler III and Major League Baseball player Jesus Flores of the Washington Nationals will be on-site signing autographs. Aaron's corporate partner, Sprint, will provide "call anywhere" phone kiosks for the families.
• Wounded Warriors 5K Walk/Run: Aaron's will host the event to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a national organization supporting wounded veterans. The company also will contribute $10,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project and after the event, a one month in-store promotion will continue the company's efforts to raise money and create awareness for the project.
Challenged 10 years ago by the company' s founder Charlie Loudermilk, Aaron's the company created Aaron's Community Outreach Program, through which company employees have donated thousands of hours of time to community service projects in more than 1,600 cities across the United States and $6.7 million in goods and services donations.
Aaron's associates, in the nation's capital for a three-day managers meeting, are choosing to spend a full day on the project.
"As the largest community outreach effort Aaron's has committed to in a single day, the company is proud that we can invest in the lives of veterans and their families who reside or are recovering in our nation's capitol," said Ken Butler, Aaron's chief operating officer.
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