Vet News: Sears Holiday Fundraiser to Grant Wishes for Military Families

WASHINGTON, DC--(MARKET WIRE)--
Dec 3, 2008 -- Rebuilding Together is pleased to once again join Sears in supporting America’s military veterans and families. Sears customers will be able to turn their shopping into dreams come true for military families and veterans. The retailer recently launched an in- store and online fundraising effort to benefit Heroes at Home(SM), a charitable program created in association with the nation’s leading non-profit home rehabilitation organization, Rebuilding Together. Through Heroes at Home, the retailer seeks to improve the lives of military families and veterans in need across America by making necessary repairs, improvements or modifications to their homes.

Now through December 28, Sears customers will be able to participate in this initiative by using their Sears card or purchasing a Sears gift card. Sears will make a donation to Heroes at Home for every credit card purchase made at any of its Sears stores from now to December 28 up to $1 million, and for every gift card purchased during that time up to $100,000. Customers can also make a donation at registers or online at http://www.sears.com/. Heroes at Home has raised more than $5 million to help military families in need across America by making necessary repairs, improvements or modifications to their homes.

"We are proud to be partnering with Rebuilding Together to support families through this important initiative," said Richard Gerstein, Chief Marketing Officer, for Sears Holdings Corporation. "Sears has a longstanding commitment to the heroic men and women who serve in the military. We hope our customers will take this opportunity to help grant wishes for military families and veterans while they shop our stores."

The 2008 Fall Campaign kicked off by honoring Jeremy Weissmiller of Crestline, CA. Jeremy, his wife Melissa and two daughters, ages 11 and eight are in need of home modifications to better allow use of Jeremy’s motorized wheelchair.

While serving for the Marines, Jeremy injured his back in Afghanistan. He was then deployed to Kuwait and Iraq, further worsening the injury which eventually led to Jeremy’s medical discharge. Now, a partial paraplegic, Jeremy has limited use of his legs. Doctors have told Jeremy that over the coming years, he could become fully paraplegic and lose this mobility altogether. Adding to Jeremy and his family’s distressing circumstances is his severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Rebuilding Together’s Riverside affiliate will repair the kitchen, deck and bathroom to allow for accessibility, widen doorways and provide new flooring that will ease wheelchair movement in the home.

"When we work together, we build new hope in the lives of others," said Gary A. Officer, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "Through its partnership with its customers, Sears demonstrates how extraordinary things can be done for our veterans and service members and their families who have sacrificed for us."

To find out more about Heroes at Home or to refer a military family or veteran to the program go to http://www.RebuildingTogether.org/ or call 1-800-473-4229.

About Heroes at Home
Heroes at Home was launched by Rebuilding Together and Sears Holdings in May 2007. Heroes at Home strives to improve the lives of all low-income U.S. service members, veterans, and military families in need across America by making necessary repairs, improvements, and modifications to their homes.

The donations for Heroes at Home are collected by Sears and Kmart through in-store fundraising campaigns. To date, these campaigns have generated nearly $4 million in donations. This funding is distributed by the National Office through an affiliate grant process. As more donations are collected, the number of Heroes at Home projects will also increase.

About Rebuilding Together:
Rebuilding Together is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable home ownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing home repair and renovation services at no cost to those in need. Through the support of corporate sponsors, local businesses and the hands-on work of over 200,000 volunteers, Rebuilding Together renovates and repairs nearly 10,000 homes and nonprofit facilities annually with a market value of nearly $100 million.

In addition to its core home repair work, Rebuilding Together renovates community centers and conducts home modification and repair programs that focus on elder home safety, energy efficiency, veterans housing, and disaster recovery and reconstruction. Rebuilding Together has more than 200 affiliates nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.RebuildingTogether.org/.

SOURCE: Yahoo News