Bob’s Discount Furniture Donates $30,000 to Support Local Training and Competitions for Special Olympics Athletes

MANCHESTER, Conn. – Bob’s Discount Furniture today announced that it has donated $30,000 to the Special Olympics in support of athletes training across the Mid-Atlantic and New England region. This marks the company’s first quarterly donation of 2014 to a charitable organization made possible by customer contributions to collection jars located in the cafes found in every Bob’s store, which offer free refreshments (including gourmet coffee, ice cream, cookies and candy) to all Bob’s shoppers.

“We encourage donations in all of our stores, and distribute this money to worthy charities in the communities our stores serve,” says Cathy Poulin, public relations director, Bob’s Discount Furniture. “As a long-time supporter of the Special Olympics, we’re thrilled to once again lend a hand to this outstanding sports program for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.”

For more than 15 years, Bob’s has supported the Special Olympics through financial donations, and by hiring some of the program’s athletes to work in Bob’s stores. In recognition of this special relationship, Bob’s has selected the Special Olympics to be the first recipient of this year’s quarterly donations.

“This support from Bob’s Discount Furniture and its in-store fundraising campaign is no small gesture,” says Mary Beth McMahon, president and CEO, Special Olympics Massachusetts. “The benefits of our partnership will be felt by Special Olympics athletes across eleven states as they train and compete on the state level, before joining with thousands of athletes to make the journey to the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey this summer.”

Bob’s will present the donation check to Special Olympics representatives and local athletes at 11 a.m. Monday, April 7, at its new store in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Cafe donations had previously been distributed each month to schools in the communities near its furniture stores. Bob’s continues to contribute to local schools by donating $1,000 to each of five randomly selected schools as “Random Acts of Kindness” from its company-funded Bob’s Outreach program. Over the past 20 years Bob’s has donated to hundreds of schools, which have used the money for such things as purchasing art and classroom supplies, funding student activity groups and going on field trips.

In January, each of the following Massachusetts schools received a $1,000 check:

• Greenmont Avenue Elementary, Dracut
• Hancock Elementary School, Brockton
• Veterans Memorial Elementary School, Saugus
• Westfield High School, Westfield
• John W. Wynn Middle School, Tewksbury

In March, each of the following Connecticut schools received a $1,000 check:

• Philip R. Smith Elementary School, South Windsor
• Clinton Avenue School, New Haven
• Rochambeau Middle School, Southbury
• Central High School, Bridgeport
• Dr. Charles E. Murphy Elementary, Oakdale

In February, the company also presented checks totaling $50,250 to 18 Philadelphia-area schools and education organizations during the grand openings of its three new Bob’s stores there. Those schools and donation amounts were previously announced.