Community News Watch 2007-10-15

SAFEWAY HITS RECORD IN MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY DRIVE

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway raised a record $7 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association during the company's month-long late summer campaign at the company's more than 1,600 stores across the country. The annual Safeway fund-raising drive for “Jerry's Kids” is part of a companywide initiative to assist people with neuromuscular disease. The money raised goes to MDA-funded, leading-edge research and treatment programs. Over the years, Safeway has raised more than $32 million for MDA through customer donations at checkout and a broad range of store fund-raising events, including its participation in the long-standing Aisles of Smiles program. Over the Labor Day weekend, Safeway employees volunteered time and participated in various regional Jerry Lewis MDA telethons, presenting checks and staffing phone banks. According to Traci McMillan, district director for MDA in Phoenix, Safeway's 114 stores in Arizona raised over $430,000 at checkout for the cause. “Safeway has gone far beyond their provisional expectations and truly deserves to be acknowledged for their philanthropic spirit in Phoenix,” said Stack.

A&P RAISES FUNDS TO FIGHT DEADLY DISEASES

MONTVALE, N.J. — A&P in partnership with Kraft Foods ran a three-day fund-raiser earlier this year that raised $187,000 to benefit pediatric cancer research through Alex's Lemonade Stand, a national organization inspired by 8-year-old Alexandra Scott, who died after battling the disease. The donations were collected by selling $1 glasses of Country Time Lemonade and through customer checkout donations at A&P's Northeast stores. A check was presented to Liz Scott of the Alex Lemonade Stand Foundation at the grand opening of a SuperFresh store in Roxborough, Pa., on Sept. 7. To date the company has raised nearly $300,000 for the foundation.