Sears and Kmart Announce Grand Prize Winner and Benefiting Charities of Shop Your Way Rewards Contest

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears and Kmart are spreading the holiday spirit early by changing the lives of one very special family and two well deserving charities as they announce the grand prize winner of the Shop Your Way Rewards "What Would You Do With One Billion Points?" contest. Todd Benjamin, resident of Lakewood, Colo., was named the winner for the national Sears and Kmart contest and received half of the prize value and the other half will be donated to the Rocky Mountain Rett Association (RMRA) and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

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Benjamin's video was among the more than 44,000 other video entries submitted to the contest on www.billionpoints.com, answering the question "What Would You Do With One Billion Points?" Benjamin and his family shared a personal story about how they would use their winnings to help find a cure for Rett Syndrome, a debilitating neurological disorder that has affected one of his daughters since birth. The disorder occurs in one child born every five hours, leaving many unable to walk, talk or use their hands.

As the winner, Benjamin will receive half of the prize ($273,870) in Sears and Kmart product value, and the other half of the prize ($273,870) will be split between two charities of his choice, the RMRA and St. Jude. Each charity will receive $136,935 in product value that will be used to purchase essential goods and services to benefit the cause. Benjamin will use the other half ($273,870 in product value) toward helping families in need around the holidays by purchasing items like iPods and helping to fund a Rett's clinic in the Children's Hospital of Denver.

"Winning the Shop Your Way Rewards contest has brought so much happiness to my family – just in time for the holidays," said Todd Benjamin. "Being able to give back to two charities that mean so much to my family is a very emotional and special feeling. We hope that these contributions will help change the lives of many as we all work together to find a cure for disorders like Rett Syndrome."

The contest, which initially launched in July, was designed to celebrate the first anniversary of the Sears and Kmart Shop Your Way Rewards program that launched in November 2009 and give its more than 26 million members an opportunity to give back to charity in a unique way.

"When we launched Shop Your Way Rewards a little over a year ago, we never imagined the program would make such an impact on people's lives," said David Friedman, senior vice president and president of marketing for Sears Holdings. "The contest was designed to celebrate our loyal customers and extend the rewards to support the charities that are important to them. We are thrilled with America's response to the program and the touching stories shared, like the Benjamins, and hope to make the holidays brighter for their family and chosen charities."

The Shop Your Way Rewards program allows members to earn 10 points or more for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases. Members can use their points to purchase a variety of items on every family member's holiday list, such as Craftsman tools at Sears, a new cardigan at Lands' End, home furnishings at The Great Indoors or even pet products at Kmart.

To view the Benjamin Family's video, visit www.billionpoints.com. Or, for more information about Shop Your Way Rewards, visit www.shopyourwayrewards.com.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, consumer electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at http://www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Sears Holdings