Leading Lifestyle Retailer Engages Teens
to Give Back to Their Communities
PITTSBURGH, Apr 7, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AE)
(Nasdaq:AEOS), a leading lifestyle retailer that designs, markets, and sells its
own brand of relaxed, versatile clothing, is teaming up with YMCA National Safe
Place, an organization dedicated to helping teens. From April 7th through April
20th, 2004, AE will invite customers into its stores across the United States to
donate gently used clothing that will be collected by teen volunteers from
various youth organizations and given to local teen shelters.
"American Eagle Outfitters feels that it is important to give back to our local
communities and we are excited to enable our customers to do so as well," said
Susan McGalla, CMO/executive VP and chairman of the AE foundation board of
directors. "Partnering with YMCA National Safe Place not only meets our AE
Foundation mission of giving back to teens, it also supports a very worthwhile
cause."
YMCA National Safe Place is a youth outreach program that educates thousands of
young people every year about the dangers of running away or trying to resolve
difficult, threatening situations on their own. The organization has local
networks established through youth shelters across the U.S. that operate 24
hours a day, 7 days a week. A bright yellow, diamond-shaped Safe Place logo in
business windows symbolizes a location in which teens can ask for help and be
connected to counseling and shelter if necessary. The employees at each Safe
Place location are trained to call a counselor who will respond to teen problems
whenever or wherever they may arise.
"YMCA National Safe Place and American Eagle Outfitters share the same goal of
helping to support teens," said Sandy Bowen, executive director for National
Safe Place. "The generosity of AE and its customers will enable us to supply
clothing for young men and women in need who often arrive at a YMCA National
Safe Place location empty-handed with only the clothes on their back."
AE will place "Shed Your Threads" collection boxes in 374 stores nationwide.
Each customer that donates used clothing at their local AE store will receive 15
percent off any AE merchandise purchased that same day. In addition, AE will
make a $2,000 cash donation to each of 46 participating teen shelters and give
an additional $8,000 grant to the shelter whose corresponding local AE store
collects the most clothing.
About American Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle Outfitters (Nasdaq:AEOS), headquartered in Pennsylvania, is a
leading lifestyle retailer that designs, markets, and sells its own brand of
relaxed, casual clothing for 15- to 25-year-olds, providing high-quality
merchandise at affordable prices. AE's collection includes modern basics like
jeans, cargo pants and graphic Ts as well as a stylish assortment of cool
accessories, outerwear and footwear. AE's Canadian subsidiary,
Bluenotes/Thriftys, offers a more urban/suburban, denim-driven collection for
12- to 22-year-olds. American Eagle Outfitters currently operates 743 AE stores
in 49 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, 65 AE stores in Canada, and
110 Bluenotes/Thriftys stores in Canada. AE also operates via its Web business,
ae.com, which offers additional sizes and styles of favorite AE merchandise.
About YMCA National Safe Place
The National Safe Place program has helped over 72,000 young people since it
began as a local YMCA youth shelter program in Louisville, Ky., in 1983.
Currently, a network of 142 shelters in 42 states operate a Safe Place Program.
There are nearly 14,000 Safe Place locations where youth can access help.
SOURCE: American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
CONTACT: American Eagle Outfitters, Pittsburgh
Nicole McGalla, 724-778-3533
mcgalla@ae.com
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Copyright (C) 2004 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
SOURCE: American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.