Safeway, Kraft food bank program yields almost 362,000 bags of groceries

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway and Kraft Foods on Thursday announced that their Help Us End Hunger (Every Bag Counts) food drive yielded nearly 362,000 bags of groceries for food banks and other hunger-relief centers throughout the United States.

In addition to helping provide products for the food drive, Kraft Foods donated $420,000 to local food banks in Safeway's U.S. operating divisions.

To help drive contributions, Safeway had preselected and bagged high-quality pantry staples, allowing customers to purchase the bag for a discounted price and place it in a donation barrel that went directly to a local food bank.

"Hunger is a very serious issue in our country that often goes overlooked," stated Larree Renda, Safeway EVP and chair of the Safeway Foundation. "Sadly, more than 50 million Americans, or 1-in-6 of our neighbors, struggles to put food on their tables. That's why we joined with Kraft Foods and encouraged our customers to help us tackle this problem. The Help Us End Hunger (Every Bag Counts) food drive and Kraft Foods' meal donation meant that nearly 362,000 families in need had nutritious food."