Sears Kicks Off a Facebook Contest to Award $250,000 to Aid Deserving Military Families

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In its latest initiative to support America's military members, Sears has teamed with Rebuilding Together to conduct "Operation Rebuild for Heroes at Home," a social media contest that gives communities across the U.S. the opportunity to help servicemen and women in need. Based on the results of Facebook fan voting, Sears and Rebuilding Together, the nation's leading nonprofit that works to preserve affordable homeownership, will award $250,000 in grants to Rebuilding Together affiliates to renovate the homes of military families who are facing hardships.

"Veterans and the men and women of the military are the backbone of our great country," said Dave Friedman, SVP and president of Marketing, Sears Holdings. "Through the Heroes at Home online community, we want to give our customers a chance to help the brave men and women who protect our country and provide a place where those who serve and support our military can connect and engage with one another."

Now through Sept. 23, Operation Rebuild for Heroes at Home calls on Americans to vote for the Rebuilding Together affiliate program that they believe is the most deserving. Visitors to the Sears Facebook page will be able to read the stories behind each grant application and then vote for their favorite. Based on total vote tallies, Sears and Rebuilding Together will award 25 overall grants totaling $250,000 to Rebuilding Together affiliates at Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze levels.

Fans of the Sears Facebook page can return daily to cast a new vote during the voting period. Facebook users who "like" the Sears Heroes at Home Facebook page, accessible from Facebook.com/Sears, will also receive the latest updates on the contest and have the opportunity to post an Operation Rebuild for Heroes at Home widget on their website to help spread the word about the contest and support their communities.

"We encourage everyone to take a moment to visit the Operation Rebuild for Heroes at Home Facebook page to read the local stories and help bring change to these communities," said Gary Officer, president and chief executive officer of Rebuilding Together. "It's a small effort that will truly impact the lives of families who have sacrificed so much for all of us."

Through its numerous Heroes at Home initiatives, which include helping rebuild homes for military veterans and their families, Sears Holdings has a long and rich history of support for military families and Sears associates who are active or retired servicemen and women. The Heroes at Home program, which also provides Sears gift cards to active servicemen and women during the holidays through its Wish Registry program, has raised more than $23 million over the past four years and helped more than 62,000 families. Furthermore, Sears' ongoing commitment to assisting troops and their families includes several recruiting and employment programs, as well as a military pay differential to full-time associates who are reservists serving on active duty. Reservists who are full-time Sears employees are allowed to continue participating in life insurance, medical and dental programs.

For additional information about the Sears Heroes at Home program, please visit Facebook.com/Sears or 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.

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive rehabilitation and modification services to those in need at no cost to those served. With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled tradespeople, the support of local business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together affiliates in America's largest cities and smallest towns make life considerably better for thousands of low-income homeowners and the communities in which they live by completing 10,000 projects per year. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to energy efficiency, veterans' housing, aging in place and Gulf Coast reconstruction. For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogether.org. You can also follow Rebuilding Together on Twitter @rebldgtogthr or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/RebuildingTogether.

SOURCE Sears, Roebuck and Co.