Customers Can Round-up to Help Local Afterschool Programs While Shopping at JCPenney this Back-to-School Season
PLANO, Texas (Aug. 6, 2009) – In time for the Back-to-School season, customers can once again benefit local children in need by participating in the JCPenney Afterschool Round-Up program. From now through Aug. 16, customers have the opportunity to “round-up” their JCPenney purchases to the nearest whole dollar and donate the difference to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. Donations will help the public charity provide children in need with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire them to be smart, strong and socially responsible.
“The need for accessible and affordable afterschool programs continues to be important to millions of America’s working families,” said Mike Theilmann, chief human resources and administration officer for JCPenney and chairman of the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. “As customers are shopping this Back-to-School season for our exceptional style and quality at affordable prices, we are inviting them to round-up their purchases and provide children in need with access to afterschool programs that will help them reach their full potential.”
Studies show that 14.3 million children in the United States are unsupervised after school between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day. Youth who participate in quality afterschool programs demonstrate improved academic, personal and social skills as well as increased self-confidence and self-esteem. To increase the accessibility of afterschool programs across the country, JCPenney created the JCPenney Afterschool Fund in 2001, and together they have contributed more than $70 million to support the afterschool cause nationwide, giving tens of thousands of children the opportunity to participate in essential afterschool programs. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund continues working toward the day when all children in America will have access to life-changing afterschool programs.
Last year, the JCPenney Afterschool Round-up program generated $3.3 million in contributions to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. Each year, 100 percent of the round-up proceeds are given directly to local afterschool programs in 1,106 communities where JCPenney has a store.
For further information contact:
JCPenney Corporate Communications:
Quinton Crenshaw; 972-431-3400; jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com
About JCPenney
JCPenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,106 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, jcp.com, and the nation's largest general merchandise catalog business. Through these integrated channels, JCPenney offers a wide array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the Company's commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a smart price. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company posted revenue of $18.5 billion in 2008 and is executing its strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to this strategy is JCPenney's "Every Day Matters" brand positioning, intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with customers by fully engaging the Company's approximately 150,000 Associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers every time they shop with JCPenney.
About The JCPenney Afterschool Fund
The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a charitable organization committed to providing children in need with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire children to be smart, strong and socially responsible. To date, JCPenney and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund have contributed more than $70 million to local afterschool programs in every JCPenney community through partnerships with the YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H and United Way of America. For more information, visit www.jcpenneyafterschool.org for more information.
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