Safeway Launches Disabilities Campaign to Bring Hope and Opportunities to People

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Safeway Launches Disabilities Campaign to Bring Hope and

Opportunities to People With Disabilities

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launches-disabilities-campaign-bring-hope-opportunities-

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Safeway Inc. today launched a month-long fundraising and awareness

campaign that will bring new hope and opportunities to thousands of

people who live with disabilities. Through an innovative partnership

with Easter Seals and Special Olympics the company announced it will

raise millions of dollars this year to fund critical regional

rehabilitation services and autism programs, provide job training

grants, and adopt athletes so they can participate in Special

Olympics games throughout the country.

" Helping people with disabilities has become a passion for Safeway,

our employees and our customers, " said Safeway Chairman, President

and CEO Steve Burd. " Our partnerships with Easter Seals and Special

Olympics will bring more awareness to this important issue and

provide opportunities for people with disabilities through these

innovative programs. "

Each year Safeway dedicates April and August to bringing awareness to

helping people with disabilities by raising funds at the more than

1,700 Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick's, Carrs, Randalls, Tom

Thumb and Genuardi's stores in the United States and Canada. With one

in five people living with a disability, Safeway has reached millions

of customers through public service messages and raised nearly $100

million to support organizations such as Easter Seals, the Muscular

Dystrophy Association, Augie's Quest and Special Olympics. The

company is also focused on providing job opportunities for people

with disabilities, employing more than 10,000 people with special

needs and helping set an example for corporate social responsibility.

The company kicked off their April campaign at a store in Alameda,

California. Safeway executives were joined by a host of celebrities,

athletes, elected officials, community leaders, and customers in a

bagging competition designed to generate awareness for the

disabilities campaign with Easter Seals and Special Olympics. The

highlight of the event featured a group of 25 employees with

disabilities who participated in a Special Olympic torch ceremony

complete with police escort. Easter Seals and Special Olympics have

helped recruit community leaders and celebrities to join together in

supporting the campaign, including Olympic Gold Medalists Bart Conner

and Los Angeles Lakers legend Sam Perkins. At the Alameda event,

members of the nationally ranked Cal Bears football team and local

Fox and CBS TV broadcasters Sasaki and a will

join the athletes and celebrities for activities with Special

Olympics athletes.

Safeway is hosting launch events in other communities to mark this

important partnership including California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas

and Washington, D.C.

" We continue to be overwhelmed by Safeway's partnership and

commitment to the growing and dynamic community of people with

special needs, " said Jim , president and CEO of Easter

Seals. " Safeway is a national leader in providing job opportunities

and helping fund local disability centers that provide training and

rehabilitation for millions of people. "

" Safeway's support of Special Olympics is critical to helping people

with disabilities achieve success and reach their full potential, "

said Special Olympics President Shriver. " Safeway's

generosity and commitment to adopt athletes to train and compete in

sports is a dream come true for so many athletes who will now be

given the opportunity to succeed. "

This year Safeway will use the funds raised in April to fund

community disability centers operated by Easter Seals that are

located in communities where Safeway operates stores. These

facilities provide rehabilitation, training and autism services to

people with disabilities. Easter Seals will use a portion of the

funds to create a special grants program that will be dedicated to

provide job training grants and expand autism programs. In Canada,

Easter Seals will use funding to develop a " Kids to Camp " program

that will allow thousands of children to learn and further develop

intellectually and physically. Additionally, through a unique

partnership with Special Olympics, Safeway will help fund the Special

Olympics mission to provide year-round sports training and

competition to people with disabilities which in turn build

acceptance in communities.

" We are excited about this year's campaign and our ability to reach

millions of customers about such an important issue, " said Safeway

Executive Vice President and Safeway Foundation Chair Larree

Renda. " These partnerships with Easter Seals and Special Olympics

will help Safeway touch the lives of so many people who live with a

disability and we are so proud to make such a positive difference. "