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The Art Van Charity Bear Returns This Holiday Season

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2012 Art Van Charity Bear. (PRNewsFoto/Art Van Furniture)

WARREN, Mich., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Art Van Furniture Charity Bear has delayed hibernation this year, just in time to help celebrate the 2012 holiday season. For the second year in a row, the iconic symbol of love and comfort is now available at all 34 Art Van Furniture stores throughout Michigan. This year the Art Van Charity Bear has a new look and a new sound; dressed in white fur featuring the classic holiday jingle Winter Wonderland.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121115/DE13709 )

"The Art Van Charity Bear was such a wonderful success last year," explains Art Van Furniture founder and chairman, Art Van Elslander . "The holidays are about giving, and what better way to help brighten the season than by being able to help others."

Art Van introduced the Art Van Charity Bear as a way to help Michigan charities. The bear sells for $29.95 with proceeds of each sale given to one of the 150 Art Van Million Dollar Charity Challenge charities. Each guest who purchases a bear will determine which non-profit organization will receive the funds. The bears will be on sale through the holidays.

"We're so happy to bring the Charity Bear back this season," said Gary Van Elslander , Art Van President . "As we did last year, we're thrilled to announce that once again we will be donating proceeds to the designated Million Dollar Charity Challenge winners."

The Million Dollar Charity Challenge is a program presented by Art Van Furniture that awards challenge grants from $5,000 to $50,000 to support Michigan-based nonprofit organizations that focus on children, health and human services programs. Within the last four years, Art Van has donated $4 million dollars to statewide charities, in return those 150 non-profit organizations have raised more than ten million dollars.

About Art Van Furniture
Art Van Furniture is Michigan's largest furniture retailer and America's largest independent furniture retailer. The company operates 34 stores in 33 communities throughout Michigan, a full service e-commerce website, plus six freestanding Art Van PureSleep bedding stores in Canton, Troy, Rochester Hills, Brighton, and Ann Arbor, and New Hudson Michigan. Founded in 1959, the company is family-owned and headquartered in Warren, Michigan. Check out artvan.com for more information.