Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) today announced the continuation of
its partnership with Penfield Children’s Center, donating more than $4
million over five years to support and expand Kohl’s Building Blocks
Program. The additional funding will allow Penfield to add bilingual
care services, develop a new community outreach program and create a
digital education platform, to increase reach throughout the
metro-Milwaukee community and beyond. Currently, the program provides
support to infants, young children and their families by providing
access to specialized educational and developmental programs, services
and equipment through Penfield. The donation comes from Kohl’s
philanthropic program, Kohl’s Cares®, which sells special merchandise,
including plush toys and books, and donates 100 percent of the net
profit to benefit children’s health and education initiatives nationwide.
“We deeply admire Penfield’s mission to serve Milwaukee’s children and
families in need. Kohl’s is proud to be in a position to support such a
valuable service that positively impacts our community,” said Kevin
Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We are
honored to continue our long-standing relationship with Penfield, and
are pleased to facilitate the growth of Kohl’s Building Blocks Program,
which in turn will help even more local families.”
Penfield Children’s Center works with more than 1,500 Milwaukee-area
children each year providing early intervention therapy services,
Milwaukee’s largest special care nursery, a one-of-a-kind behavior
clinic and family, parent and early childhood education programs.
Approximately 90 percent of all families enrolled at Penfield are living
below the poverty line.
“Kohl’s tremendous gift of more than $4 million is a giant step in our
long-standing partnership and collective commitment to the Milwaukee
community,” said Christine Holmes, Penfield Children’s Center president
and chief executive officer. “Through our partnership, local children
and their families will have greater access to health resources as we
work to extend services in communities where we have identified a need.
We are honored to be partnering with Kohl’s to further develop these
vital programs.”
Over the next five years, Kohl’s Building Blocks Program will continue
the integrated model of specialized professional support combined with
quality resources and early learning materials that specifically support
the complex needs of young children who have significant behavioral
disorders, have been victims of abuse or neglect or have a significant
disability limiting development, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida,
birth abnormalities or traumatic injuries.
The Kohl’s Building Blocks Program consists of three main components:
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Child Development Services provided by qualified Child
Development Specialists who have specialized expertise working with
children with complex needs.
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The Kohl’s Child Development Library where children and
families can “check out” materials and resources to enhance health and
development, including specialized therapy equipment and toys designed
to stimulate development at home, between regular therapy sessions.
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The Kohl’s Development Toolbox full of learning tools and
resources that children and families can keep to take home to
stimulate and encourage continuous development.
Kohl’s donation, over the next five years, will help fund the following
program enhancements:
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The addition of a Bilingual Child Development Specialist position to
focus on the needs of the Hispanic/Latino community to promote
culturally sensitive, high-level services to those families that only
communicate in Spanish.
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The expansion of the Building Blocks Community Outreach and Online
Platform which will increase involvement of educators, parents,
community leaders and children in the lives of those with special
needs in an effort to serve more children and create greater impact by
bringing effective development programs and health services to more
communities regionally and, potentially, nationally through their
publications and online resources.
Since 2000, Kohl’s and Kohl’s Cares have given nearly $50 million to
support charitable initiatives in the metro-Milwaukee area, including
more than $7.2 million to Penfield since 2000. For more information on
Kohl’s philanthropic efforts, visit www.kohlscorporation.com.
For more information on the Kohl’s Building Blocks program, visit www.penfieldchildren.org.
About Kohl’s Department Stores
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused,
value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced,
exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and
home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to
environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,146 stores in 49 states. In
support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more
than $208 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its
Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's
Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc.
For a list of store locations and information, or for the added
convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com, or
join the discussion on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Kohls or
Twitter http://twitter.com/Kohls.
About Penfield Children’s Center
Penfield Children’s Center, located in Milwaukee, Wis., is a nonprofit
organization whose sole purpose is to help infants and young children
with and without disabilities reach their full potential through
education, therapy services and family programs. The organization is
named in honor of Dr. Wilder Penfield (1891-1976), a world-renowned
neurosurgeon who strongly advocated early intervention for children with
developmental delays and disabilities. Penfield serves more than 1,500
children with and without special needs every year through programs
including: a one of a kind Behavior Clinic, the community's oldest and
largest Special Care Nursery, Early Intervention Services and early
childhood education programs. For more information please visit www.penfieldchildren.org.
