Kmart Is March Of Dimes #1 Partner For Health Of Moms And Babies

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Retail Giant's Participation in March for Babies Raises a Record Amount

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Jul 22, 2014, 12:01 ET

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A few dollars given individually might not seem like much, but through many such small acts of generosity, Kmart's Shop Your Way(℠) members, customers and associates have donated an unprecedented $11 million this year to the March of Dimes annual March for Babies® to give more babies a healthy start in life.

Kmart's record-breaking achievement set a new standard for the successful relationship between the two organizations. Tim Austin, Kmart's senior vice president of retail services and the 2014 March for Babies National Chairman, joined an enthusiastic crowd of 10,000 walkers at the Chicago Lakefront March of Babies in April where he shared how this year's effort became more personal than ever.

"Kmart's commitment to the March of Dimes is historic," Austin said. "Helping babies clearly resonates with our customers and associates, and personally, it brings me immense joy. The mission of the March of Dimes has touched my own family this year as my grandson was born prematurely. Kmart's ongoing efforts to support March of Dimes helps fund education programs and research initiatives that can help more babies receive the healthy start in life they deserve."

Kmart has been a March of Dimes partner for more than three decades, and its annual fundraising campaigns have raised more than $125 million, more than any other corporation.

"Because of Kmart's support, more women will get the prenatal care they need, and 92,000 families of babies in newborn intensive care all across the country will get comfort and guidance," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "With Kmart as our partner, hundreds of scientists now are working together to discover the unknown causes of premature birth. Our work has helped reduce the US preterm birth by more than 10 percent since 2006, sparing thousands of babies from death and disability. We are truly grateful to everyone at Kmart for their remarkable contributions to this effort."

About Kmart

Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company and part 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. Kmart offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Sofia by Sofia Vergara, Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Route 66 and Smart Sense. For more information visit the company's website at www.kmart.com | Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/kmart.

About the March of Dimes

The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE March of Dimes