Bob's Discount Furniture kicks off annual Celebrate the Arts Contest

Date: 8/19/2009

MANCHESTER, CONN. Bob's Discount Furniture, through its Bob's Outreach program, announced the launch of its annual Celebrate the Arts Contest. In an effort to support and maintain dance, music and the arts in education, Bob's Outreach will award $35,000 in cultural grants to deserving schools throughout the Northeast. One winning school with grades K-12 in each of the seven states where the company operates (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island) will win a $5,000 grant to be used for cultural arts assemblies during the 2009-2010 school year.

"Often times fine arts programs and cultural arts assemblies are the first to get cut or are missing completely from education programming," said Bob Kaufman, president and founder of Bob's Discount Furniture. "At Bob's, we see the true value and importance of these programs in a child's education and know that this year, more than ever, school systems desperately need funding to be able to bring in cultural arts programs."

All schools serving grades K-12 within the seven states where Bob's Discount Furniture operates are eligible to enter. Contest entry takes place exclusively online at www.mybobs.com and consists of a brief questionnaire. Anyone can complete the questionnaire on behalf of the school whether it is a teacher, administrator, parent, student or community member. There is no fee or purchase required to enter. The contest will close on Sept. 11. The seven winning schools will be notified and announced on Sept. 21.

Bob's Discount Furniture is dedicated to supporting the communities surrounding its stores through its Bob's Outreach program. Celebrate the Arts is one of two regional events hosted each year where Bob's focuses money and efforts on a particular community need. In addition to annual events, Bob's Outreach program participates and supports ongoing activities from community food drives, career mentoring, school visits and motivational speaking appearances to volunteering at soup kitchens, nursing homes and Habitat for Humanity.

For additional details on Celebrate the Arts and the Bob's Discount Furniture Charitable Foundation, please visit www.mybobs.com.