COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots announced today this spring's national point-of-sale fundraising campaign, Give BIG for Kids benefitting Nationwide Children's Hospital, raised $2.6 million dollars over the last three and a half weeks. With this spring campaign's results, Big Lots and their generous customers have now raised over $13.5 million dollars in support of the life-saving research and care provided by Nationwide Children's.

Commenting on today's announcement Tim Johnson, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Big Lots said, "We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers and thrilled with the excitement and passion of our associates in another highly successful campaign. The proceeds raised will help transform how we talk about mental and behavioral health in our communities and work towards the critical research and care for our kids with behavioral health challenges. This is excellent example as to how we strive to Serve Big as a community retailer and I could not be prouder of our team."

"All of us here at Nationwide Children's Hospital cannot thank Big Lots, their associates and customers enough for their generosity," said Steve Testa, President of Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation. "Big Lots is aiding greatly in helping our institution discuss the importance of behavioral and mental health care."

The campaign concluded with a beam-signing event at the Grandview, Ohio, Big Lots store on April 21st. One of the final beams that will top off the framework of the Nationwide Children's Hospital Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion next month was presented in store for customers and store associates to write their messages of strength and support onto the beam. These words and well wishes will surround the patients and caregivers who will use the new facility, which will open in 2020.

To learn more about the fundraising campaign, please visit biglots.com/give4kids.

About Big Lots, Inc.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. BIG is a community retailer operating 1,415 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states, dedicated to friendly service, trustworthy value, and affordable solutions in every season and category – furniture, food, décor, and more. We exist to serve everyone like family, providing a better shopping experience for our customers, valuing and developing our associates, and creating growth for our shareholders. Big Lots supports the communities it serves through the Big Lots Foundation, a charitable organization focused on four areas of need: hunger, housing, healthcare, and education. For more information about the Company, visit www.biglots.com.

About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report's 2017-18 list of "America's Best Children's Hospitals," Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of America's largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children's has a staff of nearly 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.4 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

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SOURCE Big Lots, Inc.