Art Van Furniture Believes In Detroit Education With $2 Million Donation

WARREN, Mich., May 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- During a news conference on Mackinac Island announcing a campaign to raise 100 million dollars for Governor Snyder's Michigan Education Excellence Foundation (MEEF), Art Van Furniture committed two million dollars to support the program and Detroit school children. MEEF is a charitable organization created to support the Education Achievement Authority's (EAA) operation of 15 of Detroit's lowest-achieving schools, provide scholarships and ensure every Detroit child is enrolled in an excellent school by 2020.  To date, 60 million dollars in donations has been raised for the charitable organization.

Art Van Elslander, Founder and Chairman of Art Van Furniture, one of the state's most prominent philanthropists, also serves as honorary co-chair for the MEEF.  "I am extremely passionate about children and education, so when Governor Snyder asked me to help, I was honored," said Art Van Elslander.

The EAA's new educational approach challenges the traditional learning system. Students do not progress by grade level, but instead, progress by performance. The EAA's new program has only been in operation since last September, but already students show promising results. Recent test show more than half of the students have already achieved two or more years' growth in reading and math skills.

About Art Van Furniture
Art Van Furniture is Michigan's largest furniture retailer and America's largest independent furniture retailer. The company operates 35 stores throughout Michigan, a full service e-commerce website, plus nine freestanding Art Van PureSleep bedding stores in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Canton, Kalamazoo, New Hudson, Rochester Hills, Sterling Heights and Troy, Michigan,  and Toledo, Ohio. Founded in 1959, the company is family-owned and headquartered in Warren, Michigan. Visit www.artvan.com  or arvanepk.com for more information. 

SOURCE Art Van Furniture

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