St. Jude Recognizes Kmart as Partner of the Year for Its Commitment to Charitable Giving

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Kmart is being honored as "Partner of the Year" by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for its commitment to helping children live a longer and healthier life. For the past four years, Kmart has participated in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving® fundraising campaign, an unprecedented union of celebrities, media, retail and corporate partners that asks consumers to "Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not." In this short time, Kmart – with the help of its associates and customers – has become the leading fundraiser for the annual Thanks and Giving campaign.

"Charitable giving is a huge part of our culture and something we strive to incorporate into everything we do in our stores and within our company," said Mark Snyder, chief marketing officer, Kmart. "Supporting important organizations like St. Jude is a privilege and a relationship that we cherish. We wouldn't be able to give as much as we do, without the help of our devoted employees and customers."

St. Jude is one of the world's premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. St. Jude has developed protocols that have helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent when the hospital opened in 1962 to 80 percent today.

"The tremendous support Kmart and its customers have brought to our patients and their families over the years is remarkable," said John Remington, senior vice president of Corporate Alliances, ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. "We couldn't be more excited to recognize Kmart as our Partner of the Year. Giving Kmart this recognition is just a small way of showing our gratitude and appreciation for their continuous support to the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Every contribution they garner from their customers helps to bring so much hope to so many children facing catastrophic illnesses."

St. Jude is one of many life-changing non-profit organizations that Sears Holdings Corporation, the parent company of Kmart, supports year-round. The Sears Heroes at Home Program was created in collaboration with Rebuilding Together to assist military families facing hardships, whether it is through repairing their homes or helping provide Christmas gifts around the holidays. Over the past three years, Sears Holdings has raised more than $21 million and helped more than 51,000 veterans and military families in need.

Kmart is also a proud supporter and longest standing corporate fundraiser for March of Dimes. In fact, this year the retailer raised a record $10 million dollars for the non-profit organization that helps improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Over the past 27 years, Kmart has raised almost $90 million through donations from customers as well as friends and family to benefit the four million babies born each year in this country.

For more information, visit www.kmart.com or www.stjude.org.

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, County Living and Route 66. For more information visit the company's Web site at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation Web site at www.searsholdings.com.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family's inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

SOURCE Kmart

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