Big Lots Champions Children's Mental Health with Summer Fundraiser in Support of On Our Sleeves®

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) today launches its summer, in-store fundraising effort to benefit On Our Sleeves, which aims to break the silence surrounding children's mental health. Now through July 7, customers who make a donation to On Our Sleeves when they check out at any Big Lots store nationwide will receive a coupon printed on their receipt for $5 off any future purchase of $15 or more. Powered by behavioral experts from Nationwide Children's Hospital, a longstanding Big Lots partner, the mission of On Our Sleeves is to provide every community in America access to free, evidenced-informed educational resources necessary to break stigmas about children's mental health.

"There is no denying that these unprecedented times have directly impacted our health and wellbeing, particularly the mental health of our kids," said Bruce Thorn, President & Chief Executive Officer of Big Lots. "We know that it can often be difficult for children to articulate how they are feeling, and with the unfortunate stigma surrounding mental health, it is critical that resources and education on the topic are readily available to those who need them. Our Big Lots family has been actively supporting this initiative since it started in 2016, and we are committed to doing our part to continuously support the important efforts of On Our Sleeves and Nationwide Children's Hospital."

Big Lots is a founding member of the On Our Sleeves Alliance, a diverse coalition of national corporations, youth and parent-serving organizations, health care organizations, education partners and individuals committed to breaking the silence surrounding children's mental health and taking action. The current donation drive builds upon the Company's $50 million multi-year commitment to support Nationwide Children's Hospital and the behavioral health experts who have powered the On Our Sleeves movement since its conception in 2016.

"During this unique time, Big Lots has continued to serve an instrumental role in supporting children and families who may need mental health and wellness resources, now more than ever," said Steve Testa, President of Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation. "Ensuring access to these evidenced-informed resources is paramount and Big Lots has been a pivotal advocate in On Our Sleeves delivering on this mission."

During its most recent in-store fundraising drive this past fall, Big Lots and its customers raised more than $3.5 million to support On Our Sleeves, which brings the total raised over the last five years to more than $26 million.

In addition, Big Lots has joined the One Million Classroom Project, which aims to provide one million classrooms in the United States with On Our Sleeves content, promoting the platform's free mental health curriculum resources to over 100,000 teachers nationwide.   

Please visit your local Big Lots store or visit OnOurSleeves.org/BigLots to donate to On Our Sleeves. For location details and more information, visit www.biglots.com.

About Big Lots
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a neighborhood discount retailer operating 1,414 stores in 47 states, as well as a best-in-class ecommerce platform with expanded capabilities via BOPIS, curbside pickup, Instacart and Big Lots NOW with same day delivery. The company's product assortment is focused on home essentials: Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Food, Consumables and Hard Home. Ranked #1 on Total Retail's 2020 Top 100 Omnichannel Retailers list, Big Lots' mission is to help people Live BIG and Save Lots. The company strives to be the BIG difference for a better life by delivering unmatched value to customers through the ultimate treasure hunt shopping experience, being a "best place to work" culture for associates, rewarding shareholders with consistent growth and top-tier returns, and doing good in local communities. For more information about the company, visit www.biglots.com.

About On Our Sleeves
Children don't wear their thoughts on their sleeves. With 1 in 5 children living with a significant mental health concern and half of all lifetime mental health concerns starting by age 14, we need to give them a voice. On Our Sleeves®, powered by behavioral health experts at Nationwide Children's Hospital, aims to provide every community in America with free resources necessary for breaking child mental health stigmas and educating families and advocates, because no child or family should struggle alone.

Since the inception of On Our Sleeves in 2018, more than 2 million people have interacted with our free pediatric mental health educational resources at OnOurSleeves.org and our educator curriculums have reached more than 1.8 million students across the United States.

SOURCE Big Lots, Inc.

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