Big Ass Fans

Big Ass Fans®, the leading designer and manufacturer of large-diameter, low-speed ceiling and vertical fans, has partnered with Art Start, a New York City non-profit organization that uses art and music to change young lives and transform the community. To coincide with the Big Ass Fans residential product launch of Isis®, a silent, sleek, energy-efficient, luxury ceiling fan, the company will donate 5% of Isis sales during May and June 2010 to Art Start, in an effort to support a remodel of their art rooms in a lower Manhattan homeless shelter.

“Art Start provides at-risk youth with opportunity and hope through art,” said Carey Smith, president and CEO, Big Ass Fans. “Big Ass Fans is pleased to donate a portion of the sales proceeds of our new residential fan, Isis, to support Art Start’s mission.”

Art Start volunteer artists work with kids in homeless shelters, group homes, and alternative to incarceration programs. Through painting, dancing, hip hop, piano, poetry and a myriad of other art forms, the organization uses the arts to enable their youth participants to rise above hardship by replacing frustration and instability with a sense of accomplishment, confidence and direction.

For the past 18 years, one of Art Start’s programs has conducted weekly workshops within three rooms in this shelter. The spaces have been maintained, but are poorly lit, unwelcoming and outdated. With the help of a SoHo design firm, Art Start seeks to transform these special spaces within the shelter to a new home for the Art Start kids. A space that is bright, clean, modern, eco-friendly and welcoming.

“We’re seeking to turn Art Start into a “place” of pride, possibility and inspiration for all children and volunteers who come together each week to create, dream and achieve,” said Johanna De Los Santos, Executive Director, Art Start. “It’s companies like Big Ass Fans that help us make this happen. We are grateful for their support!”

To donate materials or funds to Art Start, contact Executive Director, Johanna De Los Santos at (917) 653-8659 or johanna@art-start.org. To learn more about Art Start visit, www.art-start.org or call (212) 460-0019.

To learn more about Isis from Big Ass Fans visit, www.bigassfans.com/residential or call 877-BIG FANS.

About Art Start

Founded in 1991, Art Start is a New York City non-profit organization that uses the creative process to change young lives and transform communities in New York City’s homeless shelters, group homes and alternative to incarceration programs. Through painting, dancing, hip hop, piano, poetry and a myriad of other art forms, Art Start uses the arts to enable their youth participants to rise above hardship by replacing frustration and instability with a sense of accomplishment, confidence and direction. Though they face many obstacles, Art Start youth have dreams that far surpass their circumstances. They yearn to be participants and to make meaningful contributions. Art Start works with at-risk youth to turn project achievements into life achievements. They provide their young people with opportunities for success. They give them tools, structure, support, and most importantly, a chance to be heard.

About Big Ass Fans

Big Ass Fans designs and engineers contemporary 6- to 24-foot diameter fans for industrial, agricultural and commercial settings. Every Big Ass Fan uses an energy-efficient motor to generate air movement in large spaces, providing occupant comfort and energy savings year round. More than 40,000 Big Ass Fans have been installed worldwide in applications such as industrial plants, dairy barns, hangars, schools, lofts and health clubs. Product solutions include Powerfoil®X™, Pivot™, AirGo™, Element® and Isis™. Big Ass Fans has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Popular Mechanics and on television networks such as MSNBC and Discovery Channel. For more information on Big Ass Fans, visit www.BigAssFans.com or call 877-244-3267.