HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a meeting with Governor Cuomo of New York, one of America's largest retailers, Sears, has committed its continued assistance with the East Coast rebuilding effort and the after-effects of Hurricane Sandy with programs that will bring much needed supplies and discounts on appliances to the New York area. Additionally, Sears along with its partner, non-profit Rebuilding Together, has made a commitment to rebuild 100 homes in the storm-affected areas.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121120/CG17296)

"I personally reached out to Sears and asked them to help our community and they eagerly came up with programs that would be of immediate assistance," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York. "I am challenging other retailers to please step-up and get involved."

Sears and Governor Cuomo discussed Sears' efforts to help residents of the region:

• Moving truck loads of essential goods including food, bottled water, batteries and blankets to the greater New York area to make sure necessities are on hand for those in need in the days right after the storm
• In the days right after the storm, providing SHOP YOUR WAY REWARD^SM points to affected Members to help them in their rebuilding efforts
• Providing great appliance and home service values through coupons to Zone A residents
• Partnering with non-profit Rebuilding Together on an initial 10 home projects building up to 100 homes for those most impacted by the storm

"Immediately following the storm we sent truckloads of the most needed supplies and provided SHOP YOUR WAY REWARD points to Members impacted by the storm.  It's clear people are hurting. Now Sears will help New York homeowners get back on their feet by helping them secure replacement appliances at great value," said Lou D'Ambrosio, Sears Holdings chief executive officer and president. "And our commitment with Rebuilding Together will help families regain a sense of normalcy in the upcoming months."

Sears, along with Rebuilding Together, will start to help rebuild immediately with a cluster of five to ten homes in one of the hardest hit communities in New York. The location will be announced in the upcoming days.

"An important step in overcoming a natural disaster's wrath is the rebuilding effort," said Gary Officer, CEO of Rebuilding Together. "We hope our commitment with Sears will inspire others to get involved with this very important process."

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is a leading integrated retailer with over 2,600 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada and the home of SHOP YOUR WAY, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through ShopYourWay.com.  Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, fitness equipment and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, with a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, the Kardashian Kollection, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as Sofia by Sofia Vergara and The Country Living Home Collection. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 15 million service and installation calls made annually and have a long-established commitment to those who serve in the military through initiatives like the Heroes at Home program. We have been named the 2011 Mobile Retailer of the Year, Recipient of the 2012 ENERGY STAR® "Corporate Commitment Award" for Product Retailing and Energy Management and one of the Top 20 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads. 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. Twitter: @searsholdings | Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SHCCareers

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together believes that everyone deserves to live in a Safe and Healthy Home and that Community starts at Home. Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients. Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country. Our 200 local affiliates complete 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of nearly 200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trades professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us — visit www.RebuildingTogether.org

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation