Kohl’s Cares $10 Million Contest Kohl’s Department Stores and K-12 schools across the country
Founded in 2000, Kohl’s Department Stores philanthropic subsidiary Kohl’s Cares® focused on kids’ health and education, and environmental and women’s health initiatives.
Recognizing that too often necessary school programs and beneficial curriculum are overlooked or declined on the basis of inadequate funding, along with alarming 2010 headlines outlining educational struggles and schools ravaged by natural disasters, Kohl’s celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Kohl’s Cares® program by launching the Kohl’s Cares $10 Million Contest, which awarded $500,000 to the top 20 vote-getting schools for a total of $10 million.
Facilitated on Facebook, the contest asked customers, parents, teachers, school supporters and students, “What would your favorite K-12 school do with a half million dollars?” then opened the entries up for online voting.
Total sales for the five-week month that corresponded with the campaign increased 2.3% over the prior year and Kohl’s Facebook Fan Base grew 154% to 2.7 million.
Winning schools conducted computer lab upgrades for a better technology infrastructure, built new classrooms to accommodate enrollment growth, funded new construction after a devastating tornado and reinstated music and art programs, to name a few.
Judges cheered the program’s grassroots reach, enrolling 82% of eligible schools in the country and gave Kohl’s an A+ for their impressive results of social media via Facebook.