Rent-A-Center Employees Compete to Sell the Two Millionth Egg to Benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters

PHILADELPHIA, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- From March 5 to April 3 Rent-A-Center employees are "egging" their customers on to buy $1 colorful paper eggs to help kids, families and communities where they do business.  For seven years Rent-A-Center has held the spring egg fundraiser to support Big Brothers Big Sisters, raising more than $1.79 million for Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the United States and Puerto Rico.

"Our co-workers look forward to the Big Brothers Big Sisters fundraiser each year and are set to exceed the $2 million mark," said Mark Speese, chairman and CEO of Rent-A-Center.  "We are grateful to have the support of our customers and the communities where we have stores to help Big Brothers Big Sisters."

The funds raised during this campaign will go directly to local Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies nationwide to match some of the country's most vulnerable children with mentors and provide ongoing support to "Littles" and their families and the volunteer "Bigs."   Children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are primarily those of single, low-income or incarcerated parents. Rent-A-Center will match individual donations dollar for dollar up to $100,000, and guarantee a minimum donation of $250 to each of Big Brothers Big Sisters' nearly 385 local agencies.

"We appreciate Rent-A-Center's commitment to Big Brothers Big Sisters and the children, families and communities we serve," said Karen J. Mathis, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters. "This is the seventh year that Rent-A-Center has helped raise funds and visibility for agencies throughout the country.  We admire the effort of each employee who works so hard to engage customers in the fundraising effort.  Their excitement translates to much needed support for children in their communities."

The eggs sold will hang in the stores for the duration of Rent-A-Center's fundraising campaign that continues through April 3.  Rent-A-Center is also assisting in Big Brothers Big Sisters' recruitment efforts, inviting agency representatives to set up information booths and distribute literature during the spring campaign.

To support Big Brothers Big Sisters at a Rent-A-Center near you -- find your nearest store at www.rentacenter.com.

You can also donate online at BigBrothersBigSisters.org: http://www.bbbs.org/donating/donateonline.

About Rent-A-Center

Rent-A-Center (Nasdaq: RCII), headquartered in Plano, Texas, operates more than 3,000 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada with a focus on home furnishings and financial services.  The company employs approximately 17,720 co-workers.  For more information about Rent-A-Center and its RACommunity programs, visit www.rentacenter.com.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters helps vulnerable children beat the odds.  The organization depends on donations to help conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety; and provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships, key to successful mentoring.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven by independent research to improve children's odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles.  Headquartered in Philadelphia and with nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than a quarter million children. Learn how you can change how children grow up in America by going to BigBrothersBigSisters.org and MentoringBrothers.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters