Join Ralphs to Fight Hunger in our Communities

LOS ANGELES, June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Ralphs Grocery Company, a division of The Kroger Co., is inviting customers to help the hungry in our communities by "Bringing Hope to the Table®." This company-wide promotion runs from June 6 to June 19, 2010, and will generate $4 million in financial support and food donations. "Bringing Hope to the Table" is one important way that Ralphs helps provide wholesome food for families that need it most.

"Food banks and hunger agencies are facing unprecedented demand. In fact, 1 in 8 Americans struggle from hunger each year and the numbers are growing. Through 'Bringing Hope to the Table,' our customers, team members and vendors can drive funds to local food banks to help hungry people who are our neighbors," said Mike Donnelly, President of Ralphs.

Ralphs has been helping local food banks serve the hungry for more than 25 years. In 2009, Ralphs donated more than $3 million in financial support and food donations to local food banks.

Several generous vendor partners make "Bringing Hope to the Table" possible. Items included in the campaign will be clearly marked with yellow shelf tags and other signs to indicate their pledge to support "Bringing Hope to the Table."

Donations will help more than 80 food banks in communities where Ralphs and Kroger customers and members live and work. These food banks are members of the Feeding America network.

Southern California food banks benefiting from the "Bringing Hope to the Table" campaign are: Feeding America San Diego, Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, Food Share (Oxnard), Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Second Harvest Food Bank Serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

"Bringing Hope to the Table" is part of Ralphs year-round commitment to fighting hunger in our communities. In 2008, Ralphs also launched a food rescue program – the Perishable Donations Partnership (PDP) – which allows Ralphs stores to donate fresh meat, produce, dairy and bakery items that can no longer be sold.

The PDP provides nutritious food to food banks that are able to handle it safely. More than two-million pounds of the food donated by Ralphs in 2009 came from this program.

About Feeding America:

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information, please visit www.feedingamerica.org.

About Ralphs:

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates 257 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles.  The company is a division of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Last year, Ralphs Grocery Company contributed more than $8 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. For more information about Ralphs, please visit our website at www.ralphs.com.

SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company