An Afternoon of K-Mart Shopping for St. Jude

The girls and I had a really special afternoon this week -- one that is particularly meaningful during the season of giving. I was invited to participate in a holiday shopping spree for the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and I seized the chance, both to put a smile on a child's face in Tennessee and as an opportunity to teach my children first-hand about giving back.

Joining a group of bloggers and Marlo Thomas, (actress, producer, social activist AND St. Jude National Outreach Director), the girls and I hit the aisles of K-Mart's toy section with a cart ready to be filled to the brim. The girls pointed out all of their favorite toys of the season (Paw Patrol, Barbie and Disney characters were well-represented), and with each gift, it was an opportunity to spread the joy of the holiday season. And I must say, we did a pretty good job. The group's shopping spree resulted in more than $10,000 worth of toys that are currently on their way to St. Jude. What a thrill!

Santa's Elves

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a unique and vital facility in that it provides free treatment for children facing cancer and life-threatening diseases. Additionally, thousands more are saved worldwide thanks to the cutting edge research and discoveries being made there. Last year, K-Mart "Shop Your Way" members and customers donated a record $21.9 million to St. Jude; the single largest corporate partner donation ever to the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign. And this year, K-Mart has already raised $13 million during the holiday season.

I'm so happy I got to share this experience with my children. If you'd like to make a donation, or for more ways to help, check out Kmart.com/stjude or stjude.org.

Marlo shopping with a patient from St. Jude
Photo credit: Astrid Stawiarz for Getty Images

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by K-Mart, but as always, all opinions herein are my own.