Conn’s showing it ‘Cares’ about kids

Conn’s is launching a new philanthropic program to help improve the communities it serves by empowering children.

Conn’s Cares is the company’s first program to will galvanize every employee around a single cause at all Conn’s locations, the company said.

“Our vision is that Conn’s Cares will become an enduring investment in the children of the communities we serve,” said Theodore Wright, Conn’s chairman and CEO. “We are committed to the idea that every child should have an opportunity to succeed.”

The program’s focus this year is a partnership with First Book, a nonprofit that gives books to children who need them. Conn’s plans to donate more than $300,000 in new books. The partnership will kick off Feb. 25-26 with a Books on Wheels event in Houston, where employees will distribute 20,000 new books to local educators.

During 2015, Conn’s will make local grants that will supply new books to organizations in every community it serves. In addition, reading parties will be held in select Conn’s markets where store associates will read to kids in classrooms to celebrate a donation of 1,000 books to each selected school or community program.

“First Book is proud to support Conn’s commitment to empowering young readers,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “Books are critical to a child’s success in school and in life."

Conn's has more than 90 retail locations in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.