FOOD Share and Albertson's Bountiful Harvest Fund Drive

Albertsons Hosts Food Drive to Benefit

FOOD SHARE

Oxnard, CA (September 11, 2008) – Albertsons stores throughout Southern California and Las Vegas will host the Albertsons Bountiful Harvest Food Drive September 15 – 28, 2008 to benefit name FOOD SHARE.

            Customers may participate by purchasing a “virtual” bag of food for $2, $5 or $7 at the Albertsons check-stands. The funds raised through the sale of the “virtual” bags will be used to procure essential items such as peanut butter, canned tuna and canned vegetables. The food and funds collected will assist the 38,000 people who turn to FOOD SHARE each month for help.  Food collected by Albertsons stores in outlying areas will benefit those local communities.

“Rising costs have hit local families hard and many continue to struggle to put regular meals on the table.  The Albertsons Bountiful Harvest Food Drive will supply our FOOD SHARE with important staples that these families need,” says Fran McNeill, Interim Presdient/CEO

            “As a retail grocer, fighting hunger is an important initiative for us,” emphasized Sue Klug, President of Albertsons Southern California Division.  “When customers support the Albertsons Bountiful Harvest Food Drive, they are truly helping their neighbors in need because all of the donated food remains in their community,” Klug added.

            The Albertsons Bountiful Harvest Food Drive comes at a critical time, as difficult economic conditions have led to unprecedented demands on food banks.       

Albertsons first ever-Bountiful Harvest Food Drive is just a week away.  The food drive will begin on Monday, Sept. 15^th and run through Sunday Sept.28^th At all Albertsons stores throughout the Southern California Area.

Albertsons and Lucky Stores will be hosting a two week “virtual” food drive, titled “Albertsons Bountiful Harvest Food Drive”, that will give customers an opportunity to purchase a $2, $5 or $7 paper icon which will be displayed with your name.

At the end of the two-week period, all products purchased locally with the paper icons will be delivered to FOOD Share as a member of Feeding America formally know as   America’s Second Harvest. Additionally Albertsons will be pledging a Food for All donations to the smaller, independent agencies that participate in the division’s Fresh Rescue Program.

Albertsons is truly committed to making an impact in the fight against hunger.

This nationwide call- to- action effort to mobilize the public, bring greater attention to the issue of hunger in America as those who need food assistance in our community is Albertsons’ way of participating and responding to Hunger Action Month.

Local stores that will be participating are:

Camarillo: 2400 Las Posas Road

Ventura: 7800 Telegraph Road

Oxnard: 2401 Saviers Road and 920 Ventura Road

All local stores will have flyers, 2 t-stand signs, posters and the paper icon tags to make participation easy for all in the community.  

Please contact Lance Ferguson at FOOD Share 805-983-7100 x 135 or lferguson@foodshare.com  if you have any questions or if you wish to host your own food drive.

The Albertsons Bountiful Harvest Food Drive is being conducted in Albertsons and Lucky stores throughout Southern California from Paso Robles to San Diego, including the Inland Empire, Palm Springs and Las Vegas, Nevada. The food collected will go to each community’s local food bank or agency to help those in need in that area.  The participating food banks and agencies are affiliates of Feeding America. 

FOOD Share is Ventura County’s Regional Food bank.  FOOD Share provides food services and programs to low-income individuals and families in need across the county through community partnerships and distributions.  FOOD Share has been serving the Ventura County community for thirty year.  Our mission is to feed and nourish the hungry and continue to draw attention and advocate for those whose lives are effected by hunger in our community.

About Albertsons:

Albertsons was founded in 1939 and currently operates 530 Albertsons and Lucky supermarkets in Idaho, Montana, Southern California, Southern Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.  Albertsons is part of the SUPERVALU family, which is one of the largest companies in the United States' grocery channel, with annual sales of approximately $45 billion.  SUPERVALU holds leading market share positions across the U.S. with its approximately 2,475 retail grocery locations.  Through SUPERVALU's nationwide supply chain network, the company provides distribution and related logistics support services to more than 5,000 grocery endpoints across the country.  SUPERVALU currently has approximately 192,000 employees.  For more information about Albertsons, please visit our Web site at http://www.albertsons.com/.