Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - FRDA kicks off partnership with Ronald McDonald House

September 9, 2010

L to R: Sharon Tomaszewski, FRDA executive director, Janice Davis, executive director and CEO of RMHC Tampa Bay and Chris Kale, FRDA president.

The Florida Rental Dealers Association (FRDA) this August kicked off a statewide partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Florida with a merchandise donation to the Tampa Bay wing of the organization.

“We are so excited about this opportunity,” says FRDA’s Executive Director Sharon Tomaszewski. “There is a Ronald McDonald House in every major city in our state. For us, it is the ideal organization to work with because our members can contribute within their own communities and provide support on behalf of their companies as well as our association.”

Last month, Florida Rental Dealers Association donated 5 laptops and a 27” monitor to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, which operates 4 houses in the Bay Area providing a total of 80 rooms for families who need a home-away-from-home due to pediatric needs and emergencies.

“In addition to the laptops, we have a few other things lined up to support the Tampa houses over the next few months. Local members have already stepped up to the plate in a big way,” says Tomaszewski. “Ronald McDonald Charities will also be a part of our state association meeting in Tampa on October 5th and we are looking forward to having them as a special guest that day. All of these houses and the services they provide are absolutely amazing.”

There are some FRDA members who already contribute to their local Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Tomaszewski is hopeful that the association can help pull together more support and make an even bigger impact throughout the state of Florida. It is FRDA’s goal to contribute to every house in Florida by selecting a few cities to work with each year.

For more information about joining FRDA or being an FRDA Ambassador for your local Ronald McDonald House, please contact Sharon Tomaszewski at 813-241-0607 x11.

About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.

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A New Rent-to-Own Experience

by Neil Ferguson

Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers

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by Bill Keese

In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.

A Review of Online Customer Complaints

by Ed Winn III

While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII

by Kristen Card

Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.

Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

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