CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Belk's Charity Sale on April 16, from 6 to 10 a.m., will benefit local charities, schools and nonprofit organizations throughout the company's 16-state market area. Belk's previous Charity Sale, held on November 6, 2010, raised more than $4.75 million for hundreds of participating nonprofit organizations.

The four-hour, in-store shopping event provides a chance for customers to support worthwhile charities and take advantage of special discounts on purchases made during the event. In exchange for a $5 donation, customers will receive a ticket admitting them to the Charity Sale and entitling them to merchandise discounts ranging from 20 to 70 percent on items throughout the store. Special savings will be offered on rarely discounted designer brands and include an extra 25 percent off in the dresses, handbags, shoes and kids departments and up to 60 percent off in fine jewelry. Customers who purchase tickets will receive $5 off their first purchase of $5 or more at the event, and Belk Rewards cardholders will receive double Rewards points, and Belk Elite cardholders triple Rewards points, for card purchases.

On the morning of the event, the first 100 customers in each store will receive a free Belk gift card and three lucky winners company-wide will receive a gift card valued at $1,000. In addition, all participating charities and schools will be automatically registered to win one of three $1,000 donations from Belk in a company-wide drawing.

Participating local charities will sell the Charity Sale tickets in advance of the event and all proceeds from each $5 ticket will be retained by the charity. Beginning Friday, April 8, tickets may also be purchased at Belk stores with all in-store ticket sale donations divided among the participating charities and schools in each location.

For more information about Belk Charity Sale Spring 2011, please contact your Belk store or go to http://www.belk.com/charitysale.

About Belk Inc.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk, Inc. (belk.com) is the nation's largest privately owned mainline department store company with 305 Belk stores located in 16 Southern states. The company was founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., and is in the third generation of Belk family leadership. Its belk.com Web site offers a wide assortment of fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home.  Customers can interact with Belk via social media, mobile phone or email at Get Connected.

Modern. Southern. Style.

Belk seeks to satisfy the modern Southern lifestyle like no one else, so that our customers get the fashion they desire and the value they deserve. Our vision is for the modern Southern woman to count on Belk first – for her, for her family, for life.

SOURCE Belk, Inc.