WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., JULY 23, 2007 – Kmart associates and customers have smashed historical records for the March of Dimes Foundation by contributing $7.3 million towards giving every baby a healthy start in life.
According to the March of Dimes, the annual in-store paper sneaker campaign held in all Kmart stores, including in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam, is one of the most successful associate- driven, customer-supported promotions of its kind. This year the campaign raised an unprecedented $7 million, while Kmart's associates themselves contributed another $300,000 through fund-raising walks.
“Together, Kmart's customers and associates forged new territory for the March of Dimes by making the single largest donation ever,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “Their commitment to ensure that more babies are born healthy is truly extraordinary. Together, we're helping to spare thousands of babies and children from death and disability due to premature birth, and bring hope and comfort to their families.”
Kmart has been the largest contributor of the March of Dimes for 24 years. Since 1983, Kmart customers and associates have contributed $63 million to help March of Dimes programs for mothers and babies across the nation.
“We owe the success of this campaign to Kmart's customers and associates who so generously embrace the March of Dimes and its mission,” said Aylwin Lewis, CEO and President of Sears Holdings Corporation. “We feel privileged to join in the effort to discover new ways of giving every baby a healthy start, and we thank our customers for contributing to an initiative that is so important to families everywhere.”
About Kmart
Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Martha Stewart Everyday and Route 66. For more information visit the company's website at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
About the March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Brenda Storch, Sears Holdings Corp., 847-286-2897, bstorch@searshc.com
Michele Kling, March of Dimes, 914-997-4613, mkling@marchofdimes.com
