Ralphs, Food 4 Less raise funds for children

LOS ANGELES Two banners owned by Kroger are raising funds for pediatric research and hospitals.

Ralphs has rolled out its charitable campaign to benefit City of Hope, which aids pediatric research, treatment and educational programs. Ralphs encourages customers and team members to support the City of Hope's pediatric cancer "Kids 4 Hope" program through the supermarket chain's nonprofit arm, The Ralphs Fund, through Feb. 27. Last year, Ralphs provided more than $8 million in cash and in-kind donations to organizations focused on health, education, the fight against hunger, developing our youth, and the environment.

Meanwhile, Food 4 Less announced last week said it would raise funds to support children's hospitals in the communities its stores serve in Southern California, southern Nevada, and the greater Chicago area. In addition, the supermarket chain's Foods Co Division is collecting donations for children's hospitals in central and northern California. The children's hospital fund-raising campaign will run from February 1 through May 22, 2010. Since 2005, Food 4 Less/Foods Co, its team members and customers have given more than $1 million to children's hospitals.

"With thousands of children diagnosed each year with cancer, the City of Hope's Kids for Hope program is important in the fight against the disease, and Ralphs is proud to support this important effort," said Mike Donnelly, Ralphs president.

Ralphs operates more than 260 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Food 4 Less, also headquartered in Los Angeles, operates 146 warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co in Northern California.