ALBERTSONS BEATS CORUS GOAL

BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons here said its associates contributed more than 1.4 million volunteer hours to a variety of charitable causes in the 12 months that ended April 30, exceeding the company's targeted goal of 1.2 million hours.

nteer efforts were made through 165 chapters of CORUS, a program launched by Albertsons in the spring of 2003 to mobilize volunteer efforts by store associates in their local communities. During the program's first year, associates logged 800,000 volunteer hours.

Separately, last week Albertsons said it would give $100,000 to America's Second Harvest Food Bank Network as the company launched a companywide fundraiser for hunger relief. This year's month-long fund-raising campaign will utilize the Food for All program available in all the company's stores.

Throughout the month of June, all proceeds collected for Food for All will go directly to support local America's Second Harvest food banks that serve surrounding communities. Albertsons has raised more than $10 million for the Food for All program to benefit hunger relief efforts across the country since first introducing the program in stores in 1987.

"On Hunger Awareness Day and throughout the year, we are committed to making it easy for our customers and our associates to help families in need by giving them the opportunity to support hunger relief efforts in our stores," said Johnston.

Food for All cards are available at the checkout stands in all Albertsons, Jewel, Acme, Shaw's and Star Market stores, allowing customers to contribute $1, $3, or $5 toward hunger relief efforts.

In 2004 Albertsons donated 25 million pounds of food to food banks across the country and became the first national retailer to initiate a Fresh Rescue program, enabling the donation of limited-shelf-life meat and dairy products to local America's Second Harvest food banks.

In 2003 and 2004, Albertsons was named America's Second Harvest's "Retailer of the Year."