Big Lots Raises $3.5 Million In Support of On Our Sleeves®, the Movement to Transform Children's Mental Health

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Oct 29, 2020, 16:41 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots announced today a total of $3.52 million was raised during its fall point-of-sale campaign benefitting Nationwide Children's Hospital and the On Our Sleeves® movement. One hundred percent of the dollars raised will go towards ensuring every community in America has access to free educational resources for parents and families to promote mental wellness and break the stigma surrounding children's mental health.

"Giving back is a big part of our culture, and the positive impact we're making in the lives of kids living with mental illness wouldn't be possible without the passion of our associates and generosity of our customers," said Bruce Thorn, president and CEO of Big Lots. "We are grateful to be on this journey to transform children's mental health with Nationwide Children's Hospital and On Our Sleeves, and look forward to continuing to break the stigmas surrounding mental health."

Associates in more than 1,400 Big Lots stores in 47 states have helped raise more than $26 million in the past five years. Additionally, Big Lots introduced its customers to On Our Sleeves, the movement to transform children's mental health. Launched two years ago on October 10, 2018, World Mental Health Day, On Our Sleeves and its educational materials are created by behavioral health professionals at Nationwide Children's, home to the country's largest mental health treatment and research program.

"With each point-of-sale campaign, Big Lots, their dedicated associates, and generous customers continue to exceed expectations in their support for Nationwide Children's Hospital," said Steve Testa, president, Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation. "With the many challenges that people, including children and teens, are facing this year, this latest effort by Big Lots and their customers show people are starting to lean into the conversation about mental health and wellness."

Big Lots and the Big Lots Foundation have been supporting Nationwide Children's mission to be the leader in pediatric mental and behavioral health wellness, care and research for several years. In 2016, Big Lots and its foundation committed $50 million to support the building of the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion.

This fall, Big Lots also partnered with Nationwide Children's and On Our Sleeves for the Butterfly Run, a family fitness event created to help bring awareness to childhood behavioral and mental health. The virtual event raised nearly $145,000 for the On Our Sleeves movement.

About Big Lots, Inc.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a neighborhood discount retailer operating 1,409 stores in 47 states, as well as a best-in-class ecommerce platform with expanded capabilities via BOPIS, curbside pickup, Instacart and, now, PICKUP with same day delivery. The company's product assortment is focused on home essentials: Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Food, Consumables, Hard Home, and Electronics, Toys & Accessories. 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 surprise and delight, being a "best place to work" culture for associates, rewarding shareholders with consistent growth and top-tier returns, as well as doing good in local communities. For more information about the company, visit www.biglots.com.

About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report's 2020-21 list of "Best Children's Hospitals," Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of America's largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children's has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.6 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

SOURCE Big Lots, Inc.