The Rio Vista Center Kick Starts the New Year with a Makeover Thanks to Local Ace Hardware Stores

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – January 29, 2009 – The Ace Hardware stores in the Phoenix area and Lou Manfredini, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man,” lead a team of volunteers in an effort to complete a $10,000 makeover of The Rio Vista Center, a local charity serving the homeless and working poor within the Phoenix community.

This $10,000, one-day renovation is part of Ace‘s “New Faces for Helpful Places” campaign, which provides face lifts to helpful community organizations across the country. Each year, Ace selects ten “helpful places” from a pool of nominated not-for-profit organizations dedicated to serving their communities to receive a renovation. The Rio Vista Center was selected from a pool of more than 2,600 entries, and is the only “New Faces” renovation to take place in Arizona.

“The New Faces program holds a special place for me, as an opportunity to give back in a big way in local communities,” says Manfredini. “This program not only helps charities across the country by renovating their facilities, but also drives local support of the organization from neighborhood volunteers and local store owners. We truly have brought together the Phoenix community in service of a great cause.”

The Rio Vista Center (www.riovistacenter.com) is a non-profit organization that responds compassionately to the needs of the Phoenix Valley’s less fortunate by mobilizing and working with the community. For over 30 years, they have provided shelter, food, clothing, educational resources and substance abuse help to less fortunate individuals.

“We couldn’t ask for a better way to start 2009,” said Tim Lesher, director of the Rio Vista Center. “Since we opened, we have strived to be a safe haven for local Phoenix families. Now, thanks to Ace, not only is our environment safe, but so is our facility. Being able to receive this gift from within the Phoenix community is such a great honor.”

To improve their operations and services for Valley residents, Lou Manfredini, local Ace retailers and volunteers worked together to renovate the organization’s facilities. The project included drywall replacement, new flooring and storage areas and a fresh coat of paint throughout the building. These renovations also included eco-friendly improvements.

Additionally, Benjamin Moore signed on to provide paint for the entire renovation, including the floors, walls, and ceilings. Ace has also partnered with Martin Electrical who donated their time to assist with the air conditioning and electrical work for the renovation project. Wildflower Bread Company has also agreed to help out during the renovation and donated breakfast and The Farm at South Mountain donated lunch for all the volunteers. Arrowhead Doors donated and installed new exterior doors.

Through this program, which started in 2004, Ace has renovated 30 organizations, and donated more than $200,000 to local “helpful places” across the country.

Throughout its 85-year history, Ace Hardware has been known as the helpful hardware store by both customers and communities. Last year, Ace ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Home Improvement Stores for the Second Consecutive Year,” according to J.D. Power and Associates. With 4,600 hardware, home center and building materials stores that generate annual retail sales of more than $12 billion, Ace is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the industry. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace currently operates 14 distribution centers in the U.S. and one in Shanghai, China, and its retailers’ stores are located in all 50 states and 60 countries. For more information on Ace, visit www.acehardware.com.