Sears, Kmart Provide Aid to Storm Ravaged Regions in Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To assist with the East Coast recovery of Superstorm Sandy, two of America's largest retailers, Sears and Kmart, have been providing aid in the storm-ravaged regions. From giving SHOP YOUR WAY REWARDS points to affected customers to sending much needed supplies, Sears and Kmart are standing behind their customers, helping them get back on their feet.

Sears and Kmart's latest contributions to the relief effort include:

• Coordinating with vendors to get supplies to distribution points in the east where they are most needed.  Latest shipments included 2,500 comforters, palates of diapers, and five truckloads of bottled water. Additional product shipments on their way include toys, outerwear, clothing, socks and clean-up items. The impacted areas include parts of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Vermont.
• Partnering with Rebuilding Together, a leading nonprofit working for safe and healthy housing, to provide assistance in the coming months to communities with their rebuilding efforts. Similar to its efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Sears and Kmart have committed to collaborating with the New York governor's office to identify a hard-hit neighborhood in the state where damaged homes will be rebuilt.
• Deploying an in-store fundraising effort to provide donations to the American Red Cross. Customers in the affected states can make a donation when they check out at the register at any Sears or Kmart location in the affected states. One hundred percent of funds collected will be donated to the American Red Cross. Online shoppers at sears.com or kmart.com will also find links to donate directly to the American Red Cross.

Efforts that have been previously underway to help aid storm victims include:

• Infusing of SHOP YOUR WAY REWARDS point to affected customers; up to $20 worth of Points have been added to the accounts of existing Members hit the hardest by the storm. Point values of more than $5 million have been redeemed to date.
• Creation of registries on shopyourway.com for product donations to the March of Dimes and Rebuilding Together to help families affected by Superstorm Sandy.
• Free Tire Repair from Sears Auto Center - Complimentary tire repairs for automobiles affected by debris from the storm (valued up to $20).
• Lands' End is donating 8,800 winter coats, boots and blankets for men, women and children via the American Red Cross.
• Delivery of five semi-trucks of essential food items for five food banks and other organizations in the New York tri-state area. Along with an additional supply of $40,000 in gift cards to local food banks and shelters to buy much needed supplies.
• More than 100 truckloads filled with the most-needed products have arrived from 42 distribution centers from across the country enabling Sears and Kmart to replenish supplies of the most in-demand items customers are seeking to purchase now.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is a leading integrated retailer with over 2,600 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada and the home of SHOP YOUR WAY, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through ShopYourWay.com.  Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, fitness equipment and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, with a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, the Kardashian Kollection, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as Sofia by Sofia Vergara and The Country Living Home Collection. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 15 million service and installation calls made annually and have a long-established commitment to those who serve in the military through initiatives like the Heroes at Home program. We have been named the 2011 Mobile Retailer of the Year, Recipient of the 2012 ENERGY STAR® "Corporate Commitment Award" for Product Retailing and Energy Management and one of the Top 20 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.  For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at www.searsholdings.com. Twitter: @searsholdings | Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SHCCareers

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation