Rent-Direct.com and Its NYC Small Business Coalition Raises Funds and Awareness for Tsunami Disaster Relief; Donations Go to AmeriCares(R), Architecture for Humanity and Others

Market Wire, February, 2005

Even before former Presidents Bush and Clinton sought help from the private sector, Rent-Direct.com, the number one internet provider of no-broker-fee apartment information for the New York City metro area, took action and raised over $2000 for the Southeast Asia tsunami disaster relief effort, encouraging visitors to its site to donate thousands more. Members of Rent-Direct.com's NYC Small Business Coalition also went to work making pleas to their website patrons.

On December 31, 2004, Rent-Direct.com quickly tapped into its pool of clients and guest members and created the dedicated page http://www.rent-direct.com/relief-fund/ to guide visitors to trustworthy charities such as AmeriCares, Architecture for Humanity and other groups via the Network for Good. Rent-Direct.com also announced it was going to donate a portion of each sale during the month of January 2005 to the relief effort. This month, Rent-Direct.com presented checks to AmeriCares, which is supplying medical and emergency supplies, and Architecture for Humanity's Project Re:Build, which is working to provide safe, long-term housing for those whose homes were destroyed.

"It was impossible to do nothing," said Larry Rosenberg, President of Rent-Direct.com. "We're happy to say visitors to our site responded immediately," added Ralph Barocas, the company's Vice-President.

Members of Rent-Direct.com's NYC Small Business Coalition such as MeetTheNeighbors.org and TheLunchClub.net offered links to credible charities; Grzegorz Sobiech and NewYorkBoxes.com donated $100. "We were especially interested in raising awareness and calling people to action," explained Matt Sicoli, Director of Marketing for HotNYCDeals.com, another NYC-SMC member.

"It was good to work with Rent-Direct.com and to see how swiftly they responded to this urgent need," said Cecilia Fabrizio, AmeriCares' VP of Communications and Marketing. Cameron Sinclair, Executive Director of Architects for Humanity added, "Through their generous donation, Rent-Direct.com has allowed us to commit to the renewal and rebirth of villages that were devastated."

About Rent-Direct.com

Rent-Direct.com is the number one internet marketplace for no-broker-fee apartments in NYC metro. We are committed to changing the way people rent apartments by replacing costly brokers with a top-notch, economical, easy-to-use service. Rent-Direct.com is the online division of Apartments Illustrated, Inc., a licensed Apartment Information Vendor.

Contact: Hedy End Director, Marketing & Business Development http://www.rent-direct.com 212-807-1414, x224 hedy@rent-direct.com