With this generous donation from Rent-A-Center, we will be able to help people affected by disaster more efficiently by assisting them at the scene.
Brenda Mead, Operations Director, Red Cross, Allen County Ohio Chapter

left to right - Ohio State Representative Matt Huffman, RAC Regional Director Tony Wolff, RAC Lima Store #4542 Manager Bethany Cunningham, RAC VP and Assistant General Counsel Dwight Dumler, RAC District Manager Fred Neal, Allen County Red Cross Executive Director David Collins, Allen County Red Cross Operations Manager Brenda Mead, and RAC Senior Vice President Mike Kilbane.

Rent-A-Center's (NASDAQ: RCII) third gift in its statewide Random Acts of Caring initiative will help enable the Allen County Ohio Chapter of the American Red Cross to accomplish more during its emergency field responses as well as enhance capabilities at its main office.

Rent-A-Center donated four new Compaq desktop computers with 17" LDC monitors and two new Sony laptop computers.

"With this generous donation from Rent-A-Center, we will be able to help people affected by disaster more efficiently by assisting them at the scene," said Brenda Mead, operations director at the Allen County Chapter. "Using the donated laptops, our Disaster Action Team will be able to activate the client assistance card out in the field. With the desktop computers, we will upgrade some of our outdated systems here at the chapter's offices."

Rent-A-Center launched the Random Acts of Caring initiative in February to help meet important community needs that pop up around the state. In addition to the computers donated today, the company has made donations to A Friends House in London, Ohio (see story) and Summit Academy in Warren (see story).

Ohio State Representative Matt Huffman and State Senator Keith Faber participated in the day's events that included a visit to a local Rent-A-Center store.

Rent-A-Center will show up in communities around the state and donate needed merchandise to organizations that make a difference in people's lives. Where, when and how will remain a mystery until the day of the donation, according to Mike Kilbane, Rent-A-Center senior vice president in Ohio.

"It's called Random Acts of Caring for a reason," he said. "You'll just never know when we'll arrive to make some organization an even stronger component of the community." Community causes will be chosen at random. There is no application process and the company does not accept donation requests. Rent-A-Center representatives will simply keep their eyes and ears open to find worthy causes.