3.05.2004 ET

(CSRwire) LANHAM, Md. -- Safeway's Eastern Division contributed more than an estimated $10.1 million in cash and in-kind donations to non-profit agencies throughout the mid-Atlantic region (including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Virginia) during the 2003 calendar year.

The total giving includes $7.4 million by Safeway stores in the Washington ($5.7 million) and Baltimore ($1.7 million) metropolitan areas with the remaining $2.7 million being provided by Genuardi's Markets, owned by Safeway.

The company has typically identified hunger relief, education and health- related causes as its three key areas of need where the largest percentage of its charitable gifts are directed. In keeping with that philosophy, Safeway's largest annual contribution is generally made to fighting hunger and, during 2003, the company provided more than $4.8 million in donated food and funds to food banks and other feeding organizations. Its next most significant donation was $862,000 to local schools participating in the Club Card for Education program.

In 2003, the Safeway Foundation became fully operational and provided grants of at least $2,500 to mid-Atlantic region non-profit associations. Grants totaling $252,000 were bestowed to numerous organizations including $50,000 to the Greater Washington Urban League, $20,000 to the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, $10,000 each to the United Negro College Fund, Maryland Special Olympics and Baltimore Associated Black Charities for its Bea Gaddy Day celebration.

Safeway continued its annual in-store fundraising campaigns to fight prostate and breast cancer. Locally, the company raised $217,000 to support breast cancer organizations in Washington (Holy Cross Hospital) and Baltimore (the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins). Additionally, $194,000 was raised for CaPCURE, the national organization dedicated to finding a cure for prostate cancer. Another yearly in-store giving effort, Round Up Hunger, generated $113,000 in cash contributions to support local food banks. The Because Safeway Cares campaign garnered nearly $100,000 which was distributed to approximately 130 charities around the mid-Atlantic region. Safeway also staged its fourth annual Feast of Sharing at the Washington Convention Center, providing a holiday meal and job fair for approximately 4,000 people in need the day before Thanksgiving.

The retailer continued many long-standing partnerships during 2003 that provided assistance to residents of its service area. These relationships included its scholarship program with the Greater Washington Urban League with $18,000 in college financial aid provided to selected graduating high school seniors. The company sponsored several food drives, including Project Harvest, Food Drive 9, Scouting For Food and the Neediest Kids Food Drive. Safeway and Western Union teamed up to renovate a basketball court in Southeast Washington near the Anacostia neighborhood.

The division also supports major, non-profit group events through sponsorships. Among the activities Safeway sponsored last year were AIDS Walk, the Sallie Mae 10K Race, Komen National Race for The Cure, Komen Maryland Race for The Cure, the Children's Festival, the Howard Co. Hospital's Symphony of Lights, and March of Dimes' WalkAmerica 2003.

In addition to the high-profile events, Safeway responds favorably to the hundreds of requests it receives from churches, PTAs and other community- and neighborhood-oriented groups.

"As a major business in both the mid-Atlantic region and the United States, we have a responsibility to make sure we offer a significant percentage of our resources to support the communities we serve," said Eastern Division President Karl Schroeder. "Our customer base includes people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and it is important for them to know that part of our commitment is not only to provide high-quality groceries to their families but to help in sustaining the communities where they live and work."

Safeway (NYSE: SWY), a Fortune 50 company, is one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America with annualized sales exceeding $34 billion. The company operates approximately 1,775 stores in the United States and Canada with a total workforce of nearly 200,000 employees.

Safeway's Eastern Division employs approximately 16,000 people and operates 179 stores, including 37 Genuardi's Markets in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and 76 Safeway stores in Maryland, 46 in Virginia, 16 in the District of Columbia and four in Delaware.

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