Sears Marks Fourth Year of Helping Make the Holidays Brighter for Deserving Military Families

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday, Sears brought joy to more than 20,000 active-duty military members and their families by providing gift cards to servicemen and -women, valued at $55.62, to each registrant on the Heroes at Home Wish Registry™. The program distributes 100 percent of donated funds back to military families across the country, with more than $1.1 million in donations received this year to be distributed equally to Wish Registry participants.

The annual Heroes at Home Wish Registry gives back to the men and women who serve our country every day and allows those who are deployed to send their love home for the holidays. Now in its fourth year of making holidays brighter, the Wish Registry has raised more than $17 million in gift card donations from customers and associates and helped more than 83,000 military heroes and their families have happier holidays.

"Even as thousands of troops make their way home from Iraq, thousands more remain away from their families during the holiday season," said Monica Woo, vice president, CMO of Sears. "Through the generosity of our customers and associates, the Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry makes the holidays a little brighter for these brave men and women and their families, and lets us show our thanks for their service and the sacrifices they make to keep us safe."

For many military families, the Wish Registry has allowed them to fulfill simple and practical needs to make a stressful holiday less so. The Sears gift cards have been used to purchase items from warm clothes to new toys for children to Christmas trees and other holiday decorations for homes. Donations to the Heroes at Home Wish Registry are not tax deductible and are used to purchase Sears gift cards that are equally distributed to registered families.

The Heroes at Home Wish Registry is just one way in which Sears demonstrates its longstanding dedication to the military. The company's ongoing commitment to assisting troops and their families includes several recruiting and employment programs, as well as a military pay differential to full-time Sears associates who are reservists serving on active duty. Additionally, reservists who are employed full time are allowed to continue participating in life insurance, medical and dental programs. Sears Holdings also recently committed to increase its veteran hiring by 10 percent over the next year. Already in 2011, Sears has hired over 200 percent more military members than in 2010.

For additional information about the Sears Heroes at Home program and to learn about ways to support the military throughout the year visit Sears.com/heroesathome.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with over 4,000 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, consumer electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2011 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 11 million service calls made annually. 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