Sears Provides Flood-Relief Assistance to Allegheny County Residents

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S), through its Sears American Dream Campaign, is assisting residents in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas who have been affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Ivan. Sears is providing United Way of Allegheny County with $10,000 in gift cards to help families whose homes were hardest hit by flooding begin the process of recovery and repair. The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania, a United Way partner agency, will use the cards to replace major appliances for flood victims with verified need.

"Sears is working to ensure that the families in Allegheny County who need it most are benefiting from our contributions," said Steven Sunderland, North Central Region vice president for Sears full-line stores. "Thanks to the United Way, Sears will be able to reach out directly to families who were hardest hit."

The Sears American Dream Campaign is a multi-year, $100 million commitment to strengthen families, homes and communities. From helping low- and moderate-income homeowners nationwide outfit and maintain their homes to assisting victims of natural disasters to providing thousands of children with new apparel, the Sears American Dream Campaign is making a meaningful difference in communities across the nation.

United Way of Allegheny County is a non-profit organization focused on creating community impact by measurably improving the quality of people's lives through the United Way Impact Fund. The Impact Fund tackles many of the most pressing issues in its region, such as ending child abuse and neglect, supporting quality early care and education, providing food and clothing, helping the homeless, and keeping seniors active and independent. In response to flood recovery needs, United Way of Allegheny County is mobilizing volunteers from companies that run United Way campaigns to assist with flood cleanup efforts.

The United Way of Allegheny County Web site, http://unitedwaypittsburgh.org/ , and HelpLine call center at (412) 255-1155, serve as central information sources for flood victims. In addition, employees can give to the flood relief effort through their workplace campaigns by designating the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army the United Way of Allegheny County Flood Relief Fund or any other relief agency. Individuals who are not part of a campaign can give online at http://unitedwaypittsburgh.org/ .

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. With revenues in 2003 of $41.1 billion, the company offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,300 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the U.S. and Canada, which includes approximately 870 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears is the only retailer where consumers can find each of the Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End brands together -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the largest provider of product repair services with more than 14 million service calls made annually.

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

CONTACT: Cheryl Ann Lambert of Sears, Roebuck and Co., +1-847-286-4714;
Bob De Witt of United Way of Allegheny County, +1-412-456-6864

Web site: http://www.sears.com/
http://unitedwaypittsburgh.org/