Rent-A-Center Sponsors Fundraising Campaign for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

March 31, 2003 at 10:19 AM EST

              Money Raised Will Be Distributed to Local Chapters

PLANO, Texas, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rent-A-Center, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCII) announces a campaign to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) from March 31-April 19 at its 2,543 stores across the U.S. Customers and area residents can visit their local Rent-A-Center store, contribute one dollar and sign their name to a paper Easter egg that will be displayed in the store for the length of the campaign. The Company will match contributions dollar for dollar up to $100,000 but guarantees a $25,000 minimum donation to BBBSA.

"The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to partner adults with children who can benefit from mentoring aligns with Rent-A-Center's focus of supporting national programs that can potentially help our customers," says Mark E. Speese, chairman and CEO of Rent-A-Center. "All money we collect will fund local chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in the communities where we have stores."

BBBSA is the latest nonprofit that serves children and their families supported by Rent-A-Center. The Company has distributed flyers and displayed photos of missing children in its stores for The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which has led to the safe return of three children since 1999. The Company has sponsored Kid Care programs, preparing more than 10,000 identification booklets at its stores and locations in Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin.

Rent-A-Center, Inc., headquartered in Plano, TX, currently operates more than 2,500 company-owned stores nationwide and in Puerto Rico. The stores generally offer high-quality, durable goods such as home electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and accessories to consumers under flexible rental purchase agreements that generally allow the customer to obtain ownership of the merchandise at the conclusion of an agreed-upon rental period. The Company also owns ColorTyme, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary and national franchisor of 318 rent-to-own stores. For more information about Rent-A-Center, visit www.rentacenter.com .

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the country, currently serving 200,000 children nationwide through 508 affiliates. Visit the BBBSA Web site at www.bbbsa.org to learn more about the organization.

SOURCE  Rent-A-Center, Inc.
    -0-                             03/31/2003
    /CONTACT:  Mary Gazioglu, Communications Manager of Rent-A-Center, Inc.,
+1-972-801-1107, or mgazioglu@racenter.com /
    /Web site:  http://www.bbbsa.org
                http://www.rentacenter.com /
    (RCII)

CO:  Rent-A-Center, Inc.; Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; ColorTyme, Inc.
ST:  Texas, Minnesota, New York, District of Columbia
IN:  REA FIN CSE HOU
SU:  NPT



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1022 03/31/2003 10:17 EST http://www.prnewswire.com