Rent-A-Center Donates $100,000 to Support Disaster and Hunger Relief Efforts During COVID-19 Pandemic

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCII) (“Rent-A-Center” or the “Company”), a leader in the lease-to-own industry, proudly announces $100,000 in donations to disaster and hunger relief efforts to support the increased need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each year, Rent-A-Center supports charities that align with its community pillars: disaster relief, family and youth empowerment, and hunger relief. Our desire to help families during times of need drives our supported causes. The hard-hitting impact of COVID-19 to communities and families across the country inspired Rent-A-Center to help its long-term partners as they work to help those less fortunate.

“Rent-A-Center works each day to provide our customers the essential products they need during this difficult time,” says Mitch Fadel, Chief Executive Officer. “But, in a time like this, it’s important we remember the impact this has not only on our customers, but also the communities we serve. That’s why we want to support our partners and do our part to help them in their mission to serve those in need.”

Rent-A-Center has donated a total of $60,000 over a three-year period to the American Red Cross, to help them deliver their lifesaving mission nationwide. To assist with their efforts regarding COVID-19, Rent-A-Center is making an initial $50,000 donation and encouraging and facilitating employee donations to help support the cause.

Since 2003, Rent-A-Center has also partnered with the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) to help provide nutritious meals to North Texans experiencing food insecurity and hunger. The company’s annual fundraisers at the Field Support Center in Plano, Texas, have raised a total of $1.2 million for NTFB in that time. While the annual donation campaign is postponed until the fall, Rent-A-Center has brought forward its matching funds of $50,000, to help NTFB feed North Texas residents in the greatest need.

Finally, as Rent-A-Center’s coworkers in the field continue to provide essential services and products for its customers, we are working hard to provide them the tools they need to stay safe and protected as they work. Our support staff has stepped up in recent days, to sew and ship facemasks to our coworkers working in our stores, providing them the protection they need as they continue to put our customers first.

While Store Manager Alex Hurtado of Store 02634 in Lompoc, California may be one of our frontline store coworkers, she has been hard at work, sewing facemasks for all the coworkers in her store’s District and the local hospital, and is ready to help make more for those across the country in the greatest need. Considering she was recently recognized by the U.S. Army for her acts of servitude for a fallen soldier’s family, it’s no surprise she is looking for ways to help others during this crisis.

“As our coworkers step up to help, whether it’s serving our customers in our stores, sewing facemasks for other coworkers or donating to our partners, it gives me great hope for what can be achieved when people come together,” Fadel said.

About Rent-A-Center, Inc.

A lease-to-own industry leader, Plano, Texas-based, Rent-A-Center, Inc., is focused on improving the quality of life for its customers by providing them the opportunity to obtain ownership of high-quality, durable products such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and accessories, under flexible lease purchase agreements with no long-term obligation. The Company owns and operates approximately 2,100 stores in the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, approximately 1,100 Acceptance Now kiosk locations in the United States and Puerto Rico, and Merchants Preferred, a virtual lease-to-own provider in the United States. Rent-A-Center Franchising International, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is a national franchiser of approximately 370 lease-to-own stores operating under the trade names of "Rent-A-Center", "ColorTyme", and "RimTyme". For additional information about the Company, please visit our website at www.rentacenter.com.