Ralphs Grocery Company Invites Customers to Support Our Troops

Ralphs invites customers to join in supporting the men and women of the armed forces and their families during its annual Honoring Our Heroes campaign in partnership with the USO. To honor our heroes, Ralphs and other Kroger-family stores, together with customers and employees, are raising money to support the USO's broad range of programs that assist service members and their families. Since 2010, The Kroger Co., of which Ralphs is a division, has provided more than $11.9 million to support the USO – the largest cumulative gift to the USO in the organization's history. This year, customers and associates of Ralphs will be able to show their support for our service men and women from May 20 to July 21 by donating their spare change in specially-marked coin boxes at the check stands in all Ralphs supermarkets. One-hundred percent of all donations will go to the USO. "The USO supports our military and their families in so many ways—from being right there for the wounded, injured and ill, to helping those who are on deployment record a bed time story for their children," said Kendra Doyel, Ralphs' senior manager of  corporate affairs. "The USO connects with our service men and women every step of the way, and Ralphs is proud to honor our troops and veterans by supporting them." Honoring Ralphs' Heroes Ralphs is also recognizing company employees and their families who are active and former military members, including Anthony Vapor who works at the Ralphs at 18405 Brookhurst Street in Fountain Valley. Vapor is an Engineman 3rd Class Petty Officer in the United States Navy Reserves. He says managing his job at Ralphs and his military commitment has been "easy" because Ralphs is a "military friendly" company. "My managers at Ralphs have been very accommodating. They really understand my "other job" and work with me," says Vapor, a Navy Reservist since 2012. The annual Honoring Our Heroes campaign is just one element of Kroger and Ralphs' year-round commitment to supporting members of the military and their families. Kroger and Ralphs hired more than 6,000 veterans in 2014 and more than 29,000 veterans since 2009.