It's always wonderful to see a company give back to the people it serves in the community, but in this instance it was especially gratifying to see how quickly Rent-A-Center responded in replacing the stolen and destroyed furnishings in the Club.
Byron Brown, Mayor of Buffalo, New York

It was absolutely critical to get the LaSalle Courts Site up and running again so that all that was damaged was simply the things that we're able to help replace. Not the hopes and dreams that are nurtured inside every day.
Chris Korst, Senior Vice President and general counsel for Rent-A-Center

Christopher A. Korst, Rent-A-Cent senior vice president addresses those in attendance at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo's LaSalle Courts re-opening in which Rent-A-Cent donated more than $12,000 worth of computers, home furnishings and electronics to replace the things that were stolen or destroyed during a break-in in August. The company also made a $1,000 donation to help cover any additional costs to help the Clubhouse re-open. Korst is standing next to an image depicting the damage and vandalism that was caused in the August break-in.

In a highly publicized crime in which all of the furnishings in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo, LaSalle Courts Site were either stolen or destroyed, Club members and Board officials today unveiled brand new furnishing donated by Plano, TX based Rent-A-Center. The total value of the furnishings which included furniture and home entertainment equipment was in excess of $12,000. In addition, an anonymous donor contributed a state of the art security system to protect the Club from a similar incident occurring again.

"Just a few weeks ago this Clubhouse was in full disrepair and here we are today unveiling and celebrating what is essentially a brand new Club for our kids," Michael Beecher Jr., president, Board of Directors, Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo said. "On behalf of the teens who utilize this facility as well as the Board Members and Staff, we are extremely grateful to the generosity displayed by Rent-A-Center. As soon as the Rent-A-Center officials learned about what happened to this facility they responded in a fashion that was inspirational."

"It's always wonderful to see a company give back to the people it serves in the community, but in this instance it was especially gratifying to see how quickly Rent-A-Center responded in replacing the stolen and destroyed furnishings in the Club," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. "The City, through the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, has a long history with the LaSalle Courts Site and now the space that we provide the Club with, will have the amenities to enhance a positive and nurturing atmosphere for teens throughout the neighborhood."

Christopher A. Korst, left, Rent-A-Cent senior vice president, and Otis Barker Sr., executive director of Buffalo, NY Division of Youth, watch Damone McNamee try out the new video equipment Rent-A-Center donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo's LaSalle Courts site on Blum Street. The company donated $12,000 worth of furnishings and electronics to replace things that were stolen or destroyed during a break-in in August.

"We help upgrade about 20 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country each year, but this is very different," said Chris Korst, senior vice president and general counsel for Rent-A-Center. "These Clubs mean so much to the kids who come through their doors. It was absolutely critical to get the LaSalle Courts Site up and running again so that all that was damaged was simply the things that we're able to help replace. Not the hopes and dreams that are nurtured inside every day. We're humbled to play a small role in making that happen."

The merchandise and furnishings donated by Rent-A-Center to the LaSalle Courts Site included sofas and chairs, seven computers and computer desks, a printer, an entertainment center, a television, DVD and VCR player, a stereo and a gaming system. Over the next four years, Rent-A-Center will create 80 new RAC Rooms around the country adding to the 33 RAC Rooms the company has already furnished, including a RAC Teen Room recently dedicated at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns.

Rent-A-Center operates more than 3,300 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada and employs more than 20,000 coworkers.