2.04.2005 ET

(CSRwire) LANHAM, MD - Safeway's Eastern Division contributed an estimated $5.5 million in cash and in-kind donations to non-profit agencies throughout the mid-Atlantic region during the 2004 calendar year. The total giving includes $4.08 million by Safeway stores in the Washington and Baltimore metropolitan areas with the remaining $1.42 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 contribution in 2004 was $2.2 million to local schools participating in the Club Card for Education powered by eScrip program.

In 2004, the Safeway Foundation provided grants totaling $241,000 to numerous organizations including $50,000 to the Greater Washington Urban League, $10,000 each to the United Negro College Fund, Covenant House of Washington, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Starlight Children's Foundation, Alexandria Walk of Breast Cancer, and Baltimore Associated Black Charities for its Bea Gaddy Day celebration. Additionally, the Safeway Foundation hosted a Pro-Am golf tournament to benefit Easter Seals, which generated more than $260,000 to help children and adults with disabilities in the region.

Safeway continued its annual in-store fundraising campaigns to fight prostate and breast cancer. Locally, the company raised $326,000 to support breast cancer organizations in Washington (George Washington University Hospital) and Baltimore (the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins) as part of its national campaign that resulted in donations totaling $4.8 million. Additionally, local stores contributed $222,000 to the overall donation of $3.3 million raised for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for prostate cancer.

Another yearly in-store giving effort, Round Up Hunger, generated approximately $160,000 in cash contributions to support local food banks. Also, nearly $200,000 was raised by area Safeway stores for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which received an overall check for $2.3 million from the company. The final in-store program, the Because Safeway Cares campaign, garnered $120,000, which was distributed to approximately 130 charities around the mid-Atlantic region.

Safeway also hosted its fifth 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. In addition, the company contributed nearly $60,000 to the Metropolitan Police Charities through its annual Barbecue Battle celebration in the Nation's Capital.

The retailer continued many long-standing partnerships during 2004 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.

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, the Marine Corps Marathon and March of Dimes' WalkAmerica 2004.

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. Safeway's corporate citizenship was recognized last year by being the recipient of the Maryland Business Philanthropy Award, presented jointly by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and the Baltimore Business Journal.

"The success of our business is a result of the many customers who patronize our stores on a regular basis throughout the year," said Interim Eastern Division President Hank Cominiello. "As a result, we wholeheartedly believe we can demonstrate our appreciation by being as a generous as possible in our contributions to the wide assortment of community activities that are held in the neighborhoods we serve. Our retail employees and management staff understand its importance and see it as a responsibility we must fulfill."

Safeway (SWY:NYSE), a Fortune 50 company, is one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America with annualized sales exceeding $35 billion. The company operates approximately 1,815 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 178 stores, including 38 Genuardi's Markets in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with 75 Safeway stores in Maryland, 45 in Virginia, 16 in the District of Columbia and four in Delaware.

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