Sears Supports Florida Residents Following Hurricane Frances
Company Provides Additional Family-Focused Contributions and Free Flat-Tire Repair Service
Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S), through its Sears American Dream Campaign, is again assisting Florida residents as relief efforts for Hurricane Frances get underway. Sears has provided United Way of Florida with $120,000 in gift cards for families most impacted by the two recent hurricanes. The gift cards will help residents hardest hit by the storms reestablish their homes and outfit their families.
In addition, Sears is providing free flat-tire repairs at Sears Auto Centers throughout Florida from September 7 to 14 as a courtesy to customers whose tires have been damaged by weather-related driving conditions.
"It has been an extraordinary time for our customers and employees in Florida. Sears hopes to help our neighbors, friends and families recover in a variety of ways," explained Gary Salvatore, Southeast Region vice president for Sears full-line stores. "Our partnership with the United Way of Florida will help ensure Sears reaches out to the families most in need."
United Way of Florida will work with its large network of community-based human service agencies to distribute Sears Gift Cards through its Long Term Recovery Program designed to help affected families develop recovery plans and access adequate assistance for recovery.
Within the last three weeks, Sears donated more than $1 million in merchandise and funding for hurricane-related relief activities in Florida. More than 75 Sears employees have volunteered their time and talents to help families recover from the disaster.
Sears American Dream Campaign
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 Florida
United Way of Florida, based in Tallahassee, is the voluntary state association for 30 local United Ways in the state that works to measurably improve Florida communities as places to live and do business through statewide initiatives, partnerships and advocacy. There are approximately 1,400 independent, community-based United Way organizations in the U.S. Each is separately incorporated and governed by local volunteers. United Way of America is the national organization dedicated to leading the United Way movement in making a measurable impact in every community across America. For more United Way information visit http://www.unitedway.org/ .
About Sears
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: Susan Duchak of Sears, Roebuck and Co., +1-847-286-8411, or Ted
Granger of United Way of Florida, +1-850-488-8276