Sears Holdings Awards $20,000 in Small Business Grants

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its continuing commitment to economic empowerment in the Hispanic community, Sears Holdings announced the four winners of Tu Empresa, Tu Futuro/Your Company, Your Future Business grant competition.  The program was launched last year during Hispanic Heritage Month to encourage small business owners to pursue their dreams of economic prosperity.

To help generate interest and support for the contest, Sears Holdings teamed up with respected journalist and entrepreneur Cristina Saralegui, who also launched her Casa Cristina bed and bath collections at Sears and Kmart last year.

"As an entrepreneur, I understand that business grants like this are more than a financial handout. That's why I feel privileged to have played a part in this program by bringing awareness for such an important initiative," said Cristina. "This is an investment in someone's future and dream. These grants say 'we believe in you' and empower entrepreneurs to succeed."

With small businesses representing 99.7 percent of all employer firms(1), the grant competition was an opportunity for Sears Holdings to support growth in this area. "My company focuses on the usage of the internet as a business tool - The Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce. With this grant, I will not only be investing in my business' future but in the future of more than 1,000 current chamber members," said Tayde Aburto, business owner and grant recipient.

The four $5,000 grants were awarded to:

• Tayde Aburto, The Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce
• Jennifer Burrell, The Frock Shop
• Elizabeth Tarpley, Targeted Tech Solutions
• Kristen Harris, Party Palette

For more information about Sears Holdings, visit www.searsholdings.com

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.

About Cristina Saralegui

Twelve–time Emmy® award winning Cristina is one of the most recognizable and trusted names in the Hispanic community. Time magazine selected her as one of the "25 Most Influential Hispanics in America" and Home Furnishings News (HFN) Magazine named her one of the "50 Most Influential People in Design and Home Furnishings."  Cristina will be hosting and executive producing her new prime-time show for the Telemundo Network this fall.  She will also launch The Cristina Channel on Sirius XM radio later this year.

(1)  U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Census Bureau and Intl. Trade Admin.; Advocacy-funded research by Kathryn Kobe, 2007 (www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs299.pdf) and CHI Research, 2003 (www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs225.pdf);U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation