New Community Christian Church and the Coatesville Fire Relief team greatly appreciate the generous donation of furniture that RAC has made to the Coatesville fire victims.
Pastor Keith Wilburn

Photo Rent-A-Center

Matt Meiser, Rent-A-Center District Manager Doug LaSalle, Rent-A-Center Coatesville Store Manager Pastor Keith Wilburn, New Community Christian Church, Coatesville David Smith and Mark Loper, RAC store employees.

In its latest Random Act of Caring, Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, donated furniture and electronics to citizens of Coatesville, Pennsylvania who have been devastated by a disastrous string of fires.

Rent-A-Center is donating 6 living room sets, 3 bedroom sets, 4 dinette sets, 8 dining sets, 3 stereo units, 3 flat-screen televisions and 7 lamps.

"New Community Christian Church and the Coatesville Fire Relief team greatly appreciate the generous donation of furniture that RAC has made to the Coatesville fire victims," said Pastor Keith Wilburn, of Coatesville, PA.

A donation ceremony was held Friday, April 3, at 5:30 pm at Chertok's Warehouse located at 116 N. Second Avenue. Rent-A-Center and local community representatives were present.

Launched in 2008 (see story), Rent-A-Center's Random Acts of Caring initiative is designed to help meet important community needs that exist around the country in areas where the company has stores.

"Sometimes communities and people in general find themselves with multiple needs but limited resources, particularly in these harsh economic times. Through Random Acts of Caring, we are able to help where help is needed when it's needed," said Ted DeMarino, division vice president with Rent-A-Center.

In Pennsylvania, Rent-A-Center operates 152 rent-to-own stores. Rent-A-Center also operates a national product service center in Freedom, PA where a team of specially trained technicians services rental merchandise.

Rent-A-Center has been an industry leader in giving back to the communities they serve.

Following are all stories from the RTO Online archives that chronicle charitable giving by the rent-to-own industry dating back to 2003. (most recent first);

Rent-A-Center Donates to Coatesville PA Fire Victims

Rent-A-Center Restores Flooded Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters Office

Economy to Slash 2009 Corporate Giving

Aaron's Furnishes Tampa Area Home for Dunn Foundation

We Are Soldiers; Son of ColorTyme's Deering is Second Generation Airborne

Rent-A-Center Outfits Rooms at Ohio Oncology Center

Rent-A-Center Gives $20,000 Makeover to Special Needs Home

Video: Construction Wraps on Whirlpool Building Blocks Blitz

Weakening Economy Means Less Spending But More Generosity

ColorTyme of Charlottesville Sponsors Boys and Girls Club

Rent-A-Center Renovates Staten Island Firehouses

New York Rent-to-Own Dealers Make Special Olympics Donation

RNR Sponsors Fireball Run; Race to Recover Missing Children

Central Rent-to-Own Supports 2009 Special Olympics World Games

ACE Cash Expands Charitable Partnership With March of Dimes

Rent-A-Center Supplies Textbooks to Clinton Nursing College

Amscot Launches Campaign to Support Local Education Foundations

Aaron's Founder Loudermilk's Learn And Earn Program Judged Success

Rent-A-Center Treats 300 New York Kids to Sky Chiefs Game

High Touch Hosts Special Olympics Tourney

Rent-A-Center Brightens Cleveland High School

Rent-A-Center Furnishes Queens RAC Room

Rent-A-Center Expands Buffalo Boys and Girls Club RAC Room Program

Rent-A-Center Gives Harlem Hospital Makeover in Latest Random Act of Caring

Whirlpool Foundation Announces 2008 Scholarship Winners

Aaron's Founder Charlie Loudermilk to Unveil Tribute to Andrew Young

Rent-A-Center Donates Computers, TVs to Ohio Special Needs Academy

Big Brothers Big Sisters Benefits from Rent-A-Center Fund-Raiser

Rent-A-Center Launches RAC - Random Acts of Caring

Aarons Founder Charlie Loudermilk Funds Learn and Earn Program

Payday Loan Operator Amscot Contributes to Orlando Homeless Mission

Dexter Missouri Rent One Hosts Coat Drive

Amscot Financial Supporting Programs for At-Risk Girls In Florida

Rent’N Go Supports National Beat the Heat, Cops & Kids Program

New York ColorTyme Collects Canned Goods To Feed Over 800 People

Rent-A-Center Rescues Vandalized Buffalo, New York Club; Buffalo Mayor Brown Recognizes RAC For Community Involvement

New York Rental Dealers Donate Computers To Learning Centers

easyhome CEO Delivers Backpacks In Big Yellow Bus; Event Caps Another Successful Backpack Challenge

easyhome Raises Over $50,000 During 2007 Backpack Challenge; Employees Summit Mount Kilimanjaro To Support Fundraising

PLS Payday Loan Store Kicks Off Back-to-School Donation Program

Stratford Connecticut Aaron’s And Bridgeport Police Join Forces to Support Special Olympics

Rent-N-Roll Adopts House Of Hope As National Charity; Kicks Off Relationship With $15,000 Gift

Whirlpool Wins Golden Halo Award

History Of Mother's Day

Rent to Own Entrepreneur Gloria Homeier-Schwien Receives 2007 Kansas Small Business Award

Rent-A-Center Supports Children's Advocacy Center

Buddy's Home Furnishings Promotes Child Safety In Tampa

ColorTyme Franchisees Bring Good Cheer As They Give Back To Their Hometown Customers

Frank Barton Scholarship Goes To Trinity Academy Wichita Senior

Aaron’s, Warrick Dunn Surprise Three Tampa Families With Fully-Furnished Homes

Aaron’s And Warrick Dunn Foundation Award Four Single Mothers Fully-Furnished Homes

World Market Center Donates $250,000 In Furniture To Local Vegas Charities

Bestway Rent to Own To Host "Bestway to Child Safety" Event In All Locations

Ashley Furniture Honored As Top Refugee Employer

ACE Cash Express Donates 1 Million Book Covers to Schools Across Texas

Aaron’s To Give Away Hooked on Phonics Program With Every Computer Rental

Time Or Money? Volunteerism On The Rise

Titan Vince Young Supports Dell's Youth Technology Program

Corporate Giving To Worthy Causes Focusing On Meeting Business Objectives; Measuring Impact Difficult

Miami HEAT Unveils New RAC Room; First Of Three Miami Area Boys And Girls Clubs Remodeled By Rent-A-Center

Guinness Book of Records Attempt Asks Americans to Send Messages to Troops Stationed Abroad on Valentine's Day

Kathy Windsor Heads Drive To Donate 500 Beds For Needy Kids

Frank Barton Scholarship Goes To Wichita Senior

Rent One Sponsors Holiday Food Drive

Rent One Donates Van To Youth Center

Cavaliers and Rent-A-Center Launch Recreation Room Remodeling Program; Forward Drew Gooden to Unveil Cavaliers “RAC Rooms” at Cleveland’s Boys & Girls Clubs

Family Of Rent-A-Center Co-founder Frank Barton Make $8.5 Million Gift To WSU; Largest Donation In School History

Rent-Way Offers Employee Assistance In Wake Of Katrina

Sealy Donates $1 Million To Katrina Relief

Whirlpool Will Support Every Habitat For Humanity Home Built Around The World By 2011

Rent-One Raises $15,000 For Ronald McDonald House

Over 100 Players Help ColorTyme Charity Golf Tournament Raise $15,000 To Fight Juvenile Diabetes

ColorTyme's Second Annual Charity Golf Tournament Approaches

HP Honored with 2004 New Freedom Initiative Award by U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

Chappy's Rent to Own Holding Fundraiser; Donating Half Of Saturday's New Revenue!

Ace Cash Express Donates $25,000 To Assist Hurricane Victims

Whirlpool and Reba McEntire Help Build Momentum and Raise Awareness of Habitat for Humanity

Advance America Cash Advance Partners With National Non-Profits to Register Over 50,000 Voters

Rent A Center Customers And Employees Raise $244,415 For Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Rent a Center Funds Code Amber Child Safety Videos

Rent-A-Center To Match Donations Up To $100,000 During Fund-Raiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Rent-A-Center Contributes to Code Amber In Memory of Carlie Brucia

CORT Furniture Rental Aids Southern California Fire Victims

Louisiana Rent a Center MM James Hashimoto Coordinates Donation of "Houseful of Furniture" For Fire Victims

Rent Way Coordinates "Support the Troops Rally" in West Virginia

In Perspective

Rent-A-Center Donates $25,000 to FloridaChild