Safeway and the Muscular Dystrophy Association Raise Funds for Fight Against Muscle Disease

PLEASANTON, Calif., July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Safeway Inc., (NYSE: SWY) and The Safeway Foundation are teaming up with The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) for an annual fundraising campaign to support individuals and families affected by muscle disease.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130625/SF38175LOGO)

From July 31 through September 2, all Safeway stores — including Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Dominick's and Carrs — will participate in the companywide campaign, giving customers the opportunity to contribute at the checkout register and help raise funds for MDA's programs and services.

"Children and adults served by MDA will benefit directly from every donation made at our stores," said Larree Renda, Safeway Executive Vice President and Chair of The Safeway Foundation. "The donations will contribute to MDA's worldwide research program, its national network of 200 medical clinics, and will help send thousands of children to a weeklong MDA summer camp at nearly 80 locations throughout the United States."

Over the years, individual Safeway stores and operating divisions have collected donations for the organization through local grassroots fundraising efforts. The company and The Safeway Foundation have raised more than $68.7 million for vital services and resources for those affected by muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases.

"We're grateful to have the support of a company like Safeway that is committed to serving its local communities and helping more than one million Americans affected by neuromuscular disease," said MDA President and CEO Steven M. Derks. "With Safeway's combined fundraising efforts and through the help of its generous customers and employees, we are able to help provide our families with the care and services they need to fight back against muscle disease."

Along with supporting people with disabilities, Safeway is one of the largest corporate supporters of cancer charities, having raised more than $206 million for breast cancer and prostate cancer research and treatment. In addition, the company contributes to a broad range of charitable and community programs including education, hunger relief, health and human services and local communities.

About Safeway www.Safeway.com
Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America, based on sales. The company operates 1,638 stores in the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $44.2 billion in 2012. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.

About The Safeway Foundation
Founded in 2001, The Safeway Foundation supports causes that impact our customers' lives. Our stores provide the opportunity to mobilize funding and create awareness in our neighborhoods through our employees' passion, partnerships with our vendors, and the generous contributions by our customers. We focus on giving locally in the areas of health and human services, hunger relief, education and helping people with disabilities. Safeway Inc. and The Safeway Foundation have invested $1 billion in our neighborhoods since 2001. For more information about The Safeway Foundation, visit www.safewayfoundation.org.

About the Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world's leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit mda.org and follow us at facebook.com/MDAnational and @MDAnews.

Contact:
Teena Massingill, Safeway, 925-467-3810. Teena.Massingill@Safeway.com

SOURCE Safeway Inc.