Giant Food and Anacostia Watershed Society Celebrate by Helping Our Earth

Green In-Store Events, Clean Up Projects, and Earth Day Celebrations to Occur This Week

LANDOVER, Md., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Giant Food of Landover, Md. is teaming up with community partner Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) to clean up the environment and celebrate Earth Day's 40th anniversary April 23 and 24. Fifteen Giant stores located in the Watershed will host in-store activities, storm drain stenciling, plant trees around the stores, and clean up the neighborhoods they serve.

In November 2009, AWS and Giant Food forged a partnership to tackle environmental issues affecting the Anacostia River. The organizations joined together to educate Giant Food associates and shoppers alike about the importance of an environmentally conscious lifestyle, why reusability matters, and ways to improve the natural resources of our region.

"Giant is committed to helping our planet every day, and Earth Day is a great timely reminder for us all about the simple ways we can help protect the environment. We are so pleased to join forces with the Anacostia Watershed Society to celebrate Earth Day's momentous 40th anniversary," said Kim Brown, vice president of public affairs and community relations. "We are excited to promote green initiatives at our stores including trash cleanup, tree plantings, invasive plant removal, and working with our children for a cleaner future. Together we can build a vibrant, clean, and healthy community and river."

In addition to individual store initiatives, Giant associates will join the Anacostia Watershed Society, nonprofit organizations, families, and local residents at the 21st annual Anacostia Watershed Society Earth Day Celebration Event on April 24. River clean-up activities will occur at more than 30 sites in the Watershed and all participants will join in a celebration at Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C.

At each of its D.C. stores, Giant has appointed a "Green Captain" to serve as an environmental steward, championing green initiatives among associates and customers and provide in-store educational information about reusability and how we can help clean up our communities. Giant is committed to continuing the progress it has made to limit the impact on the environment through increased efficiency in stores, distribution centers, offices, and transport.

This month, to further help the environment, Giant will give away two Honda Insight Hybrids. Beginning April 16 to April

29, Giant customers will automatically be entered to win a Honda Insight Hybrid when they purchase five participating General Mills items with their Giant card. To encourage customers to think green while they shop, customers must use a reusable bag when purchasing these products to be eligible for the prize. A full list of participating General Mills items can be found at www.giantfood.com. Winners will be announced May 20.

For more information about Giant's company-wide recycling and environment initiatives, visit www.giantfood.com.

About Anacostia Watershed Society

The Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) is dedicated to cleaning the waters, recovering the shoreline, and honoring the heritage of the Anacostia River and its watershed communities in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Since 1989, AWS has worked to conserve and protect the land and water of the Anacostia River and its watershed communities through educational programs, stewardship efforts, and advocacy projects. AWS works to make the Anacostia River and its tributaries swimmable and fishable as required by the Clean Water Act. For more information about AWS, visit www.AnacostiaWS.org.

About Giant Food of Landover, Md.

Giant Food, LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 180 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 22,000 associates. Included within the 180 stores are 163 full-service pharmacies. Giant is owned by Netherlands-based Ahold. For more information on Giant, visit www.GiantFood.com.

SOURCE Landover, MD -- Giant Food LLC