Source: Anton Communications

SmartStop(R) Self Storage Donates $17,000 to Bahati Foundation Adopt-a-School Program

Donation Will Support Los Angeles High School Band Program and Girls Basketball Team

LADERA RANCH, CA--(Marketwired - Dec 18, 2013) - SmartStop® Self Storage recently contributed $17,000 to the Bahati Foundation's Adopt-a-School Program. This program creates safe and healthy lifestyles for students in the Los Angeles Unified and Compton Unified school districts through bike clinics, motivational speakers and fitness and nutrition programs.

SmartStop's donation will help provide instruments for Crenshaw High School's band program and shoes and warm-up suits for King R. Drew High School's girls' basketball teams. Both high schools are located in Los Angeles County.

"We are honored to be able to support such an amazing school program for kids who just need some extra help," said H. Michael Schwartz, chairman and CEO of Strategic Storage Trust, Inc., a public REIT targeting the self-storage market under the SmartStop® Self Storage brand name. "Thanks to the efforts of the Bahati Foundation, these kids now have the opportunity to gain more knowledge and experience in the world of music and sports."

Founded by Rashaan Bahati, a world-class cyclist who grew up in Compton, Calif., the Bahati Foundation supports inner-city youth in underserved communities through inspirational speaking engagements and cycling outreach programs designed to motivate and empower kids toward higher achievement in education, music and sports. The foundation's GiveBack programs work with corporate partners to supply inner-city youth with health and fitness gear, educational supplies and musical instruments.

"Having SmartStop see value in the Bahati Foundation is an absolute honor and has been a humbling experience," said Rahsaan Bahati, founder/president of the Bahati Foundation. "We are so grateful and excited to have SmartStop as a partner. I have had the privilege to give back over the last five years to my community after cycling changed my life, but I cannot do this alone. I've always encouraged everyone to help me give back and SmartStop has stepped up to the plate. We're looking forward to continuing to make a positive impact on our community with SmartStop's generous donation."

About SmartStop® Self Storage
SmartStop® Self Storage offers affordable, accessible and secure storage space for residential and commercial customers. SmartStop offers secure interior and exterior units as well as outside storage areas for vehicles, RVs and boats. In addition to features such as keypad access, security gates and video surveillance, the facilities also utilize well trained on-site associates to provide customers with the highest standard of service in the industry. To view our properties and locations or to find a nearby storage facility, visit www.smartstopselfstorage.com

About Strategic Storage Trust, Inc.
Strategic Storage Trust, Inc. (SSTI) is one of five publicly registered self-storage REITs in the United States and is one of the fastest growing self-storage non-traded REITs nationwide. The SSTI management team is comprised of industry veterans with extensive institutional experience in the acquisition and property management of self-storage properties. Since the launch of SSTI in 2008, the company's portfolio of wholly-owned properties has expanded to include 122 properties in 17 states and Canada that are being branded as SmartStop® Self Storage. The portfolio includes approximately 77,000 self-storage units and 10.2 million rentable square feet of storage space. For more information about SSTI, please call 949-469-6600 or visit www.strategicstoragetrust.com.

About The Bahati Foundation
The Bahati Foundation Cycling Team launched officially March 2010 in Los Angeles, California headed by 7-time US national champion cyclist Rahsaan Bahati. In additional to the successful launch of the race team Rahsaan implemented his vision for "The Bahati Foundation" conceived to GIVEBack and serve as a positive influence to community youth. The mission of the Foundation is to support inner-city youth in under-served communities through inspirational speaking engagements, cycling and educational outreach programs. These outreach programs are designed to motivate and empower youth toward higher achievement in education, music and sports. The Bahati Foundation is a 501 3c non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, California. Visit us on the web www.bahatifoundation.org.