Giant Food's 2011 Triple Winner® Season Begins Today

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Apr 15, 2011, 12:27 ET

Grocer Pledges to Raise $1.5 Million for Pediatric Cancer Research

LANDOVER, Md., April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Giant Food of Landover, Md. will launch the seventh annual Triple Winner game, benefitting the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and local nonprofit organization The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc. Giant is committed to raising $1.5 million this spring for pediatric cancer research. Triple Winner is one of the most successful cause-marketing programs in the nation and each year, Giant associates and customers join together to fight pediatric cancer. Since 2005, Giant has raised $8.5 million.

"I'm humbled by the way our customers and associates have rallied behind Triple Winner year after year," said Shane Sampson, senior vice president of store operations for Giant Food of Landover, Md. "When you look at the progress that's being made by doctors at Johns Hopkins, and the initiatives The Children's Cancer Foundation funds to improve the lives of children living with cancer, it makes you feel good – as a person and as a company. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we're committed to continuing our support of pediatric cancer research."

Triple Winner is a scratch card game, giving customers the chance to win a free product, gift card, or cash prize up to $10,000. For every $1 donation at their neighborhood Giant, customers receive a Triple Winner game ticket. The program runs from April 15 through July 14, or until all tickets have been distributed. One hundred percent of customer donations will directly benefit the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc.

"Giant is definitely our largest donor. We have 14 faculty members who are all pushing the frontier forward, not just doing state-of-the-art research, but making the discoveries that are improving cure rates for the future," said Dr. Donald Small, director of pediatric oncology at the Kimmel Cancer Center. "Giant and their associates and customers should take incredible pride because they really have been a big part of that effort."

This year, four local children who are patients at The Kimmel Cancer Center will serve as the brave faces of the Triple Winner program:

Hamza, 10-year old fourth-grader, suffers from Lymphoma, but loves to wrestle and play Xbox with his four brothers.
Tracie, 10-year-old fifth-grader, who is from a military family, suffers from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The middle child of three girls, she loves to read and aspires to learn to ride horses.
Austin, 14-year-old eighth-grader, suffers from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), but aspires to be an engineer. He is fascinated with space and infrastructure in building.
Clarissa, 16-year-old high school junior, is a two-time ALL survivor. She is currently interning with Dr. Patrick Brown of Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology and researching the disease. Clarissa has dreamed of becoming a doctor ever since her first diagnosis.

The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center features one of the most comprehensive pediatric oncology programs in the country. It is a recognized "center of excellence" for bone marrow transplants and includes specialized areas of expertise in treating brain tumors, sarcoma, leukemia, and lymphoma. The Center's pediatric oncologists, nurses, and staff provide compassionate care to hundreds of children each year. The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc., based in Owings Mills, Md., is committed to raising funds for building facilities and for the research and treatment of cancers that affect children. Since its founding, the Foundation has given grants totaling more than $31.8 million dollars.

To participate in Triple Winner, no purchase or contribution necessary. For complete contest rules, please visit www.giantfood.com.

About Giant Food of Landover, Md.
Giant Food, LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 177 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 22,000 associates. Included within the 177 stores are 162 full-service pharmacies. Giant is owned by Netherlands-based Ahold. For more information on Giant, visit www.GiantFood.com.