Mervyns Features Limited-Edition Sprockets Dog Plush and Children's Books to Help Outfit Kids

HAYWARD, Calif., July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- This back-to-school season, Mervyns customers can adopt a limited-edition Sprockets(R) dog plush or bring home an educational children's book and by doing so help clothe deserving children in their local communities. All Mervyns stores feature the exclusive merchandise for just $5 each, with 100 percent of the net profits benefiting Mervyns' award-winning ChildSpree(SM) program, which provides shopping sprees for underprivileged children.

Currently, Mervyns offers exclusive, limited-edition Sprockets and Sprockette plush dogs wearing removable backpacks. Stores also feature "Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An Alphabetical Adventure" and "Click, Clack, Splish, Splash: A Counting Adventure," both written by the award-winning author and illustrator team of Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. The educational books are for pre-school aged children to help foster a love of reading at a young age.

Mervyns' ChildSpree program provides $100 shopping sprees to underserved children in Mervyns' local communities. Selected by a non-profit agency or school partner and accompanied by a volunteer chaperone, participating children are able to shop for new clothes and shoes. The children also receive a 15 percent discount on purchases made during the event. Since its inception in 1992, ChildSpree has provided more than $18 million to more than 180,000 children and is a proud company tradition.

"We're thrilled to offer Mervyns' customers our limited-edition ChildSpree merchandise and the opportunity to join us in giving back to their community," said Rick Leto, Mervyns' president and chief merchandising officer. "By purchasing these products, our customers can help outfit children in their local neighborhood and send them to school with a boost of self-confidence."

For more information on Mervyns' ChildSpree program visit http://www.mervyns.com/ or call 1-800-MERVYNS.

About Mervyns

Mervyns LLC, headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a family- friendly promotional neighborhood department store offering trend-right fashions and home decor for the entire family at affordable prices. With 187 locations in 10 states, Mervyns has a well-earned reputation for its extensive selection of national and private-label fashions and housewares. Community giving has been a cornerstone of the company's business since 1949, with a focus on improving the lives of children and families by giving back to its communities by way of volunteerism and through its award-winning signature program, ChildSpree(SM). Since 1992, Mervyns' award-winning annual ChildSpree program has donated more than $18 million in shopping sprees and served over 180,000 economically disadvantaged children in need. For a list of store locations, or for additional information, visit Mervyns' Web site at http://www.mervyns.com/ .