We’ve heard countless accounts of public school children getting up before dawn and putting on their uniforms that have weathered more than one storm. They pack their school bags and prepare for that day that may include muddy walks and sudden downpours from typhoons, and the worry of getting sick from the latest flu surge.

Yet, they continue to show up, reminding us that education remains one of the most important gifts a child can receive.

These everyday efforts don’t go unnoticed. Through more than 75 outreach programs nationwide, SM Store invites both employees and customers to join its mission of helping students stay healthy, protected, and ready to learn. Together, these small acts create a bigger support system that helps public school children stay on track with their dreams.

From October to November, this shared effort reached public students across the country through 13,500 Shop & Share CAREkits, each filled with essentials such as tissue, paracetamol, alcohol, and soap. For many families still recovering from typhoons and flu outbreaks, they are exactly the much needed basics they often run out first.

The program supports communities through the advocacy of Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), and gives customers a simple way to participate. With a minimum single-receipt purchase of P3,000, shoppers may purchase a CAREkit for only P99 from August 1 to 31, 2025.

Each kit represents SM Store’s ongoing commitment to community wellness and emergency response, making sure that help reaches students who need an extra layer of care.

Every October, SM Store honors the birth anniversary of founder Henry “Tatang” Sy, Sr. with the “Shop & Share Shoes” program.

Just like the CAREkits, customers were encouraged to co-sponsor a pair of shoes worth P100 with a minimum single-receipt purchase of P3,000 from October 1 to November 15, 2025.

This year, 10,000 public school students from over 75 schools received brand-new pairs of shoes, in collaboration with SM Foundation, Inc. It may seem like a small gesture, but for children who walk long distances every day, a sturdy pair of shoes means comfort, safety, and dignity.

Teachers often share how their students’ moods lift instantly when they put on new shoes, witnessing them standing taller, walking with more confidence, and feeling more eager to learn. These simple needs, when met, have proven to leave a deep, emotional, and positive impact.

Each CAREkit helps families stretch their daily budgets by keeping children healthy and present in school. Each pair of shoes gives young learners the confidence to move through their days with ease.

But what makes these programs truly meaningful is the growing community behind them. Every sponsored kit or pair of shoes represents someone choosing to help a child they may never meet, but whose day becomes a little brighter. These anonymous gestures offer hope, encouragement, and the chance for these students to dream a little bigger.

This spirit of shared giving is what continues to inspire SM Store, its employees, and the many customers who believe that small acts, done together, can create lasting change.