Honoring its distinction as one of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s longest-standing corporate partners and commitment to bettering the lives of all St. Jude patients, Kmart announced today a movement created in collaboration with St. Jude called Care to Dream. The program aims to unite people in giving St. Jude patients—of all backgrounds—a chance at having their hopes and dreams become a reality by way of acts of kindness, generosity and storytelling. Through patient engagements, dedicated events and compelling content, Kmart and St. Jude seek to establish and grow a community of people who share the same purpose with Care to Dream.
“Through Care to Dream, Kmart and St. Jude will help bring to life the dreams of all St. Jude patients, regardless of their age, race, religion or parents’ income,” said Leena Munjal, chief digital officer for Sears Holdings Corporation. “All children have dreams. And no matter their challenge, all children should have the opportunity for their dreams to come true. By expanding our partnership with St. Jude, our goal is to create opportunities for even more members, associates, local community members and groups to become involved and empowered to make an impact in these children’s lives.”
Throughout the year, Care to Dream will launch multiple campaigns that include in-store activations, digital and social support and more, leveraging children’s passions in fun and engaging ways to help St. Jude patients’ dreams come to life. The movement kicks off with a holiday campaign, Draw to Dream, which celebrates artistic expression. St. Jude patients, specifically, rely on art to share their feelings and visualize their dreams. Through Draw to Dream, Kmart and St. Jude will use patients’ works of art to bring their dreams to life. St. Jude patients will create personalized wrapping paper. Kmart will donate* $2 from each roll of wrapping paper sold in store and online at Kmart.com to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Kmart members can support Care to Dream and Draw to Dream by:
- Checking out the Care to Dream video and sharing it in social media
- Helping make a St. Jude patient’s dream come true and sharing the story on social media and by word-of-mouth
- Creating opportunities for others to become involved and empowered
- Making a donation to St. Jude in store at any Kmart and online via a link at www.kmart.com/stjude, with 100 percent of funds raised directly benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- Purchasing gifts that give back this holiday season. Kmart will offer several items, including customized gift wrap designed by St. Jude patients and the collectible St. Jude holiday bear ornament, for purchase in store or online, with $1.00 from each sale donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
“We’re excited to help Kmart launch Care to Dream—creating unique ways Kmart members can support the children and families of St. Jude,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Kmart has been one of our most committed partners in helping St. Jude lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. This campaign enables them to extend that support, providing hope in new ways to St. Jude patients.”
This year, Kmart celebrates 13 years supporting St. Jude to help raise awareness and funds to treat and defeat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Having raised more than $112 million since 2006 as an all-time corporate fundraising partner, Kmart contributions have helped cover the cost of treatments, medical equipment, patient travel, housing and food.
