Food 4 Less/Foods Co Kicks Off Annual #SharingCourage Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Food 4 Less stores in Southern California, Las Vegas and the greater Chicagoland area, Foods Co stores in Central and Northern California and their parent company, The Kroger Co., have kicked off their annual #SharingCourage campaign, asking customers to join in the fight against breast cancer by taking action online and in local communities.

Customers are invited to visit www.sharingcourage.com where they can find stories of courage shared by Food 4 Less, Foods Co and Kroger associates and breast cancer survivors and ways to get involved in their communities.

This year's #SharingCourage breast cancer awareness campaign features Corona resident Mary Russell, a cashier at the Food 4 Less store at 109 McKinley Street in Corona.

Russell, a breast cancer survivor, is sharing her survivor story this October on #SharingCourage marketing materials, on the cover of Food 4 Less newspaper advertisements and on special Breast Cancer Awareness Month signage in Food 4 Less and Foods Co stores.

Russell was diagnosed with breast cancer following her annual mammogram screening. She underwent several months of radiation treatment and was placed on cancer medication for several years. After being closely monitored by her doctors and having regular mammograms, Russell is cancer free today.

"I feel great today," said Russell, a Food 4 Less associate since 1990. "I'm taking it one day at time, and am enjoying a full and happy life more than ever before. Since facing breast cancer, I now appreciate family and friend more than ever."

Russell's advice to others fighting the breast cancer is to learn all you can about the disease and not to be shy or afraid to talk to your friends and loved ones about what you are going through.

"I believe when you go through something like breast cancer, you realize what's important," Russell said. "Spending time with family and friends is most important. I learned that I am strong. I am a survivor of breast cancer."

Kroger's family of stores, including Food 4 Less supermarkets in Southern California, Las Vegas and the Chicagoland area and Foods Co stores in Central and Northern California, and supporting partners together have committed $3 million towards breast cancer research, detection and treatment this year. Since 2006, Kroger, Ralphs and their partners have donated more than $27 million to the fight.

In addition, during the month of October, Kroger, Food 4 Less/Foods Co and Yoplait together will donate $1 to the American Cancer Society (up to $20,000) for every tweet or Facebook post that uses #SharingCourage and #FriendsInTheFight.

About Food 4 Less
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Food 4 Less operates 146 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co in Central and Northern California. Food 4 Less is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest grocery retailers, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Food 4 Less, please visit our website at www.food4less.com.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130715/LA47429LOGO

SOURCE Food 4 Less/Foods Co