The Aaron’s Company Inc. recently contributed $10,000 to Atlanta’s Westside Future Fund, an initiative uniting the public and private sectors to provide affordable housing in one of the city’s most impoverished communities.
“Access to affordable housing is one of the most important needs in our city, especially for those struggling to make ends meet in and around the Historic Westside community,” said Aaron’s Chief Executive Officer Douglas Lindsay. “The negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have heightened the needs of vulnerable populations, and the Westside Future Fund is a critical tool to help level the playing field for these individuals.”
The Aaron’s Foundation Inc. contribution was facilitated by Aaron’s Black Leadership Exchange (ABLE), an internal company committee created last year. Guided by three core principles – fostering self-improvement, developing those around them, and building their communities – ABLE members work to promote the personal and professional development of Black team members, and to strengthen connections with their customers and community.
“ABLE has created a tangible way for our Black team members to come together in support of essential causes that are impacting our people and our community,” said ABLE President Chris Cottrell. “By identifying this opportunity to unify both our Black employees and advocates from other racial backgrounds, we can affect meaningful change that lifts our entire organization.”
Aiming to meet the urgent need within specific Westside neighborhoods, the Westside Future Fund is currently working to raise $500,000 by the end of 2020. All money raised will go toward alleviating additional hardship caused by the coronavirus crisis, especially food insecurity.
