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Safeway Teams up with Melissa Etheridge for Month-Long Breast Cancer Public Service Campaign Aimed at Finding a Cure and Increasing Mammogram Screenings

Safeway Teams up with Melissa Etheridge for Month-Long Breast Cancer Public Service Campaign Aimed at Finding a Cure and Increasing Mammogram Screenings

Published 10-01-00

Submitted by Albertsons Companies

PLEASANTON, CA - October 1, 2007 - Safeway Inc. (NYSE:SWY), one of the nation's largest corporate supporters of cancer research and treatment, today launched a month-long public service campaign to help find a cure and encourage mammogram screenings and examinations for women. The company is teaming up with Grammy and Oscar award winner Melissa Etheridge, a breast cancer survivor, to encourage women, families and loved ones to join the fight against breast cancer by taking action through preventive screenings and self examinations.

"I am proud to join together with Safeway's customers and employees in the fight to help educate and find a cure for breast cancer," said Melissa Etheridge. "This important public service campaign will reach millions of women, families and loved ones and make a positive difference by encouraging breast cancer screenings and funding critical research to prevent this disease and find a cure for breast cancer."

The public service campaign during the month of October coincides with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is the largest breast cancer event of its kind by a grocery retailer. The initiative combines store fundraising with a broad-based information and outreach campaign designed to encourage women to receive regular mammogram screenings and examinations.

The company, together with its 200,000 employees, will reach out to millions of customers during October to raise millions of dollars through a number of in-store activities. For example, customers can make a donation at checkstands at each of Safeway's 1,740 stores. Melissa Etheridge's new CD, "The Awakening", will also be sold at every checkstand and a portion of the proceeds will support critical breast cancer research and awareness programs. Additionally, Safeway and vendor partners will contribute to the breast cancer fundraising campaign when customers purchase specially marked products in stores with a specially-marked pink ribbon.

"Safeway's employees and customers are passionate about finding a cure for breast cancer and this campaign will reach millions of women and families to encourage them to receive regular screenings," said Larree Renda, Safeway Executive Vice President and Chair of The Safeway Foundation. "Thanks to the generosity of our customers and employees, this campaign will raise millions of dollars to fund groundbreaking research programs that will lead to a cure for this devastating disease."

The campaign is also focused on educating women about detection and prevention of breast cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Public service messages will appear during October in a range of different media, including radio commercials, the company's in-store communications network, on electronic point-of-sale screens at the checkstand, in-store signage, weekly print sales circulars and on the company's Safeway.com website.

Employees will sponsor various events throughout the country including breast cancer walks, breast cancer screening events, and volunteer activities. This includes sponsoring the Komen Foundation "Race for the Cure" events in multiple major U.S. cities and funding mobile mammogram screening services.

During the past six years, Safeway's annual breast cancer campaign has raised more than $25 million - $8.3 million in 2006 alone - to fund major cancer research programs at major research institutions and hospitals in the North America, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the University of California at San Francisco, and the University of California at Los Angeles. The company also supports information and awareness raising organizations such as Susan G. Komen Foundation and the breast cancer information website www.breastcancer.org.

MEDIA/EDITORS: For more information about breast cancer events and in-store activities during the month of October, please contact Safeway Public Affairs at 925-467-3810.

ABOUT SAFEWAY

Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America, based on sales. The company operates 1,740 stores in the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $40.2 billion in 2006. Safeway supports a broad range of charitable and community programs and last year donated more than $154 million to important causes, such as cancer research, education, food banks and programs focused on assisting people with disabilities. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.

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Albertsons Companies

Albertsons Companies

Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. As of February 26, 2022, the Company operated 2,276 retail stores with 1,722 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. The Company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with 24 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Market. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2021, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company contributed nearly $200 million in food and financial support, including approximately $40 million through our Nourishing Neighbors Program to ensure those living in our communities have enough to eat.

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