Kroger Fights Hunger During the Holidays

CINCINNATI, Nov. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Many hungry families will have fresh, wholesome food this holiday season thanks to The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and customers and associates who shop and work at its family of stores.

Kroger has focused on feeding the hungry for decades. From the Great Depression to the Great Recession, Kroger has partnered with local food banks, Feeding America and other organizations to fight hunger in our communities.  Now customers who shop at any of Kroger's family of stores can help, too, by taking advantage of simple donation opportunities while they shop.  

• Making a financial donation to a local food bank is as easy as scanning a pre-marked tag or asking the cashier to 'round up' a grocery order.  Customers can take advantage of this option in all Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Fry's, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's stores.

• Pre-filled bags of nutritious food can be purchased and added to collection barrels at Kroger stores in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas and QFC stores in Washington and Oregon.    

• Specially-marked coin boxes will collect spare change at check stands at Kroger stores in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas, and in all City Market, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, Fry's, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's stores.

• A number of stores across the country will host major food drives on site, partnering with local media outlets to raise awareness and much-needed food for local hunger agencies.

Regardless of the method, these efforts add up to a shared result – neighbors helping neighbors.  In 2009, our stores and customers partnered to provide nearly 16 million meals to local families during the holidays.  

"The rising number of families struggling to put wholesome food on the table today is sobering," said Lynn Marmer, group vice president of corporate affairs and member of the board of directors for Feeding America. "Kroger's local food bank partners are bracing for record demand during the holiday season.  Our support helps these organizations feed thousands of families every day."

The company donated 50 million pounds of food valued at more than $75 million in 2009, which translates into roughly 42 million meals for hungry families.

Through special partnerships with key vendors, Kroger directs even more funding to food banks in communities where our customers and associates live and work.  Bringing Hope to the Table, Kroger's annual cause-marketing campaign, raises $3 million in financial support and food valued at $1 million to assist more than 80 food banks that are members of Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization.

During the past five years, Kroger and its family of stores have donated 560 million meals to local food banks.

In addition, Kroger's industry-leading food rescue program – the Perishable Donations Partnership (PDP) – continues to grow and direct more fresh meat, produce, dairy and bakery items that can no longer be sold in retail stores to food banks that are equipped to handle it.  Through the PDP, Kroger donated more than 36 million pounds of fresh food in 2009, the equivalent of 30 million meals, and the company is on target to exceed that level in 2010.

Kroger, the nation's largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 334,000 associates who serve customers in 2,468 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 784 convenience stores, 372 fine jewelry stores, 932 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.