ATLANTA, Dec. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc.
(NYSE: AAN), a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase
solutions, and its divisions Aaron's and Progressive Leasing,
joined forces this fall with former NFL greats Kurt Warner and Warrick
Dunn to provide furnishings for seven "Homes for the
Holidays" surprise presentations, representing a $70,000 commitment to help first-time
homeowners.
The donations came in collaboration with Warrick Dunn Charities
and Kurt Warner's First Things First
Foundation, two organizations that have counted on Aaron's as a
critical supporter for over 15 years. The Warrick Dunn Charities
home reveals took place in Augusta,
Ga. (Sept. 17); Lilburn, Ga. (Oct.
1); St. Petersburg, Fla.
(Oct. 15); Atlanta, Ga. (Nov.
5); and Nashville, Tenn.
(Dec. 17). Meanwhile, the First
Things First Foundation changed the life of a family of four in
Mesa, Ariz. on Nov. 22.
"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 upfitting a new home. While the homes
themselves are constructed and financed through Habitat for
Humanity, the surprise comes when the families discover the houses
are fully furnished and stocked thanks to Aaron's, with Warrick
Dunn Charities and the First Things First Foundation also providing
down-payment assistance. Additional support for Warrick Dunn
Charities came from Ryan Jumonville,
Peach State Federal Credit Union, Cigna and the Motiv8 Foundation;
while U-HAUL, Brooklyn Bedding and Sprouts contributed on behalf of
the First Things First Foundation.
"We are so grateful to Warrick
Dunn and Kurt Warner, whose
tireless work means these families can now proudly call themselves
homeowners," said John Robinson, CEO
of Aaron's, Inc. "These partnerships benefit 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 Warrick Dunn Charities for over 15
years, helping the former Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
running back lift up families, primarily around the Southeast.
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 years old.
"It's difficult to believe we have made the dream of home
ownership possible for 176 families in 18 markets over the 22-year
history of our 'Homes for the Holidays' program," said Warrick Dunn. "Each home and family are so
unique and a true testament to my mom's memory, and I'm eternally
grateful to Aaron's for being on our team as we continue our
mission."
Inspired by Dunn's work, fellow "Walter Payton NFL Man of the
Year" recipient Kurt Warner made
"Homes for the Holidays" part of his foundation's bedrock in 2002,
taking the model from the Southeast to the metropolitan areas that
shaped his career – St. Louis, Mo.
and Phoenix, Ariz.
"When I met Brenda, she was a single mom of two young children.
She knows firsthand the struggles single parents face and the hard
work it takes to achieve the dream of homeownership," said
Kurt Warner. "Aaron's has been
instrumental in helping us bless 51 families since we started
'Homes for the Holidays' over 15 years ago, and we can't wait to
impact more lives in 2020."
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 1,500 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. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a
the HELPcard®, provides a variety of second-look credit products
that are originated through federally insured banks. For more
information, visit Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and
HELPcard.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 175 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.
About the Kurt Warner First Things First
Foundation
Established in 2001, the Kurt Warner First
Things First Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity serving as a
vehicle for Kurt and Brenda Warner to reach out to the community
and share their blessings with those in need. The First Things
First Foundation is dedicated to impacting lives by promoting
Christian values, sharing experiences and providing opportunities
to encourage everyone that all things are possible when people seek
to put "first things first." Additional information is available at
www.kurtwarner.org.
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SOURCE Aaron's, Inc.