Art Van Challenges Local Businesses

November 1, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on November 2, 2011

Art Van Furniture, Warren, Mich., is challenging other local businesses to offer employees paid time off for charity work.

Art Van, Michigan's largest furniture retailer, is investing more than $100,000 by giving its 2,500 associates two hours of company paid time to do volunteer work for the Art Van Furniture Million Dollar Charity Challenge partner of the associate's choice.

"This is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference," says Art Van Elslander, chairman and founder of Art Van Furniture. "Each associate will pick the charity they will do the work for from our list of 150 Million Dollar Charity Challenge winners. Our challenge winners win again."

The program runs Nov. 1-Dec. 31, and Art Van Furniture is now challenging other businesses to do the same.

"Just imagine the impact this will have on our community if other businesses join us in this endeavor," said Art Van Furniture CEO, Kim Yost. "It's all about people joining together to help those in need. You can't lose like that."

The Million Dollar Charity Challenge is an Art Van program that awards challenge grants from $5,000 to $50,000 to support Michigan-based nonprofit organizations that focus on children, health and human services programs. Within the last three years, 150 Michigan charities have been awarded a total of $3 million dollars.