Bridgestone Retail Operations Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America in "Driving Great Futures" for America's Youth

"Driving Great Futures" campaign to raise funds to help provide programs and services in 4,100 Clubs nationwide

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Jul 29, 2015, 02:58 ET

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill., July 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) today announced the launch of their new partnership, "Driving Great Futures," which will help BGCA provide a safe and productive after-school and summer space for kids and teens at Clubs in communities nationwide, with the programming and resources they need to achieve a great future.

"We are committed to being the neighborhood car care center of choice in the communities where we do business, and supporting local youth in those communities is an important way to take action on this promise," said Stu Crum, president, BSRO. "Through our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, BSRO can impact the neighborhoods we serve by creating an environment of empowerment and providing skill development for millions of kids at Clubs nationwide."

To launch "Driving Great Futures," all 2,200+ BSRO stores -- Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, Hibdon Tires Plus and Wheel Works -- will be selling $5 Value Books, which include up to $200 in tire and automotive service savings. In addition, from July 31 -- Dec. 1, customers at all BSRO retail stores will be invited to "round up" to the nearest dollar at checkout. One hundred percent of funds raised through these initiatives will go to support the more than 4,100 Boys & Girls Clubs that serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach.

"More than 11 million kids and teens leave school each day with no place to go when the final bell rings. And in the summer, 43 million don't have access to summer learning programs," said Jim Clark, president and CEO of BGCA. "Thanks to the support of partners like Bridgestone Retail Operations, BGCA is able to provide kids with out-of-school programs and services to help inspire and drive success."

BSRO will kick off the partnership across its store network on July 31, with 10 locations hosting a special event on Saturday, Aug. 1:

Firestone Complete Auto Care - 2421 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37217 (11 a.m. to noon)
Firestone Complete Auto Care - 8920 W. Sam Houston Parkway N., Houston, Texas 77040 (noon to 1 p.m.)
Firestone Complete Auto Care - 2781 E. El Dorado Parkway, Little Elm, Texas 75068 (11 a.m. to noon)
Tires Plus - 16125 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Florida 33618 (10 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
Firestone Complete Auto Care - 201 Perimeter Center Parkway N.E., Suite A, Atlanta, Georgia 30346 (11 a.m. to noon)
Firestone Complete Auto Care - 3650 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60618 (11 a.m. to noon)
Tires Plus - 580 W. 79th St., Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 (9 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
Firestone Complete Auto Care - 3161 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (11 a.m. to noon)
Firestone Complete Auto Care - 575 Vance St., Lakewood, Colorado 80226 (11 a.m. to noon)
Wheel Works - 18522 Prospect Rd., Saratoga, California 95070 (11 a.m. to noon)

The events will feature live radio remotes, special guests from local NFL teams, prizes and giveaways. Members of local Boys & Girls Clubs also will be in attendance.

"Driving Great Futures" aligns with BGCA's "Great Futures Campaign," which calls attention to the crisis facing kids and elevates the role of out-of-school time in reversing negative trends in the areas of poor academic performance, obesity, drug use and youth-related violence. The "Great Futures Campaign" for America's kids is mobilizing the nation in support of after-school and summer programs that tackle these issues to inspire and empower more youth toward success.

About Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC:
Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC (BSRO) is headquartered in Bloomingdale, Ill., and operates the largest network of company-owned automotive service providers in the world --- more than 2,200 tire and vehicle service centers across the United States --- including Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus™, Hibdon Tires Plus, Michel Tires Plus and Wheel Works store locations. Credit First National Association and Firestone Complete Fleet Care™ operations are also part of BSRO. BSRO is a member of the Bridgestone Americas family of companies.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America:
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at BGCA's Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC