TAMPA, Fla. and KANSAS CITY, Kan., Nov. 30, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Aaron Rents, Inc. (NYSE:RNT, the nation's leader in the rental, sales and lease ownership, specialty retailing and rental of residential and office furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has announced more furniture donations made in conjunction with Homes for the Holidays, a charitable program founded by NFL player Warrick Dunn that provides deserving single mothers with a completely furnished home.
At events held simultaneously in the Tampa area and Kansas City, the mothers were surprised by the appearance of the NFL players and stunned to learn they had been chosen as the recipients of Homes for the Holidays' generosity. Each woman received a home filled in every room with merchandise from Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership including furniture, appliances and home electronics.
According to President Ken Butler, "Homes for the Holidays is an amazing organization with the very worthwhile goal of lifting up and recognizing single mothers for their contributions to their families. These mothers and their children will always remember the day they received their home and Aaron's is humbled by the opportunity to play a role in these heartfelt and uplifting donations."
The Homes for the Holidays recipient in Kansas City is Angelina Foreman, the single mother of seven children. She is employed with GE Capital as a Customer Service Representative. Kaw Valley Habitat for Humanity helped Ms. Foreman acquire her home, which is the first five-bedroom home Kaw Valley Habitat has ever built. Previously, she and the children were living with her mother in an unsafe neighborhood that was the site of several drive-by shootings.
Two mothers were Homes for the Holidays recipients near Tampa. In St. Petersburg, Yolanda Denise Blount worked with Pinellas Habitat for Humanity to earn a home for herself and her four children. Ms. Blount is employed by Jabil Circuit. In nearby Holiday, Florida, Nancy Bevilaqua was stunned as Warrick Dunn presented her and her son with all the furnishings needed for her new home, which was provided by W.P. Habitat for Humanity. Ms. Bevilaqua is employed as the organist in her family's church.
Homes for the Holidays looks for deserving single mothers across the country and then helps them acquire a home and furnish it with everything their family needs, right down to a fully-stocked pantry. Since NFL player Warrick Dunn founded the charity in 1998, more than 50 families have been recipients of this program. Recently, The Sporting News designated Warrick Dunn as its 2005 Good Guy in pro sports, mainly for his charitable work helping single mothers acquire and outfit homes for their families. Aaron's has been involved with the program since 2002, and has filled all the furniture, appliance and electronic needs of Homes for the Holidays since that time.
Aaron's stores offer customers access to high quality furniture, appliances, electronics and computers for sale or as a lease-ownership arrangement. Customers have the option of buying their merchandise for an attractive cash price, or opting to lease their merchandise for even greater flexibility. With a lease option, customers make modest monthly payments and have the immediate use of the items they need without waiting for credit checks or other delays. Plus, Aaron's will take care of delivery, set-up, repairs and more for the duration of a customer's lease.
Aaron Rents, Inc. (NYSE:RNT) is a leader in the sale and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances, now with over 1,165 Company-operated and franchised stores in 46 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. The Company also manufactures an exclusive line of furniture, bedding and accessories at 10 facilities in four states.
The Aaron Rents, Inc. logo is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1554.
CONTACT:
Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership
Mark A. Rudnick, Vice President, Marketing
(678) 402-3470
www.shopaarons.com
Sybil Elie, Homes for the Holidays Project Coordinator
(678) 402-3265