Donations From Kroger Customers and Employees Expected to Exceed $1 Million for Haiti Relief Efforts; Kroger Foundation Donates $250,000

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Jan 19, 2010, 06:06 ET

CINCINNATI, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today said that donations from customers and associates are expected to exceed $1 million to support the American Red Cross' Haitian relief efforts. In addition, The Kroger Co. Foundation has donated $250,000.

Kroger customers and associates have already contributed more than $600,000 through local collection points set up last week. All funds collected are going directly to the Red Cross for its Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

Kroger has also established a link from its website, www.kroger.com, to make it easy for customers and associates to donate directly to the Red Cross.

Stores throughout the Kroger company, including Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's are helping customers donate in different ways, including coin boxes at registers, "rounding up" their bills and donating the difference or adding amounts onto their total bill. Stores will continue to collect donations for the Red Cross' Haitian relief efforts through January 30, 2010.

"Our shoppers and associates continue to respond generously to help the victims in Haiti. It is our hope that these contributions will help the Red Cross provide much needed support in Haiti," said Lynn Marmer, group vice president of corporate affairs for Kroger.

Kroger, the nation's largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 326,000 associates who serve customers in 2,469 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's. The Company also operates 773 convenience stores, 392 fine jewelry stores, 850 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, health and wellness initiatives, and local organizations in the communities it serves. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.