President's Choice® Children's Charity Raises $2.3 Million in Latest Campaign

BRAMPTON, ON, April 12, 2012 /CNW/ - (TSX: L) - President's Choice^® Children's Charity is proud to announce that its two-week Helping Kids Live Life Well™ paper icon campaign held at Loblaw corporate and participating franchise stores raised more than $2.3 million. One hundred percent of funds generated will be distributed to families with children who have disabilities and to support local childhood nutrition programs.

Focused on making lives easier for children across Canada, this campaign on behalf of President's Choice^® Children's Charity recorded its best ever results and exceeded the fundraising goal of $2.2 million.

"Our Helping Kids Live Life Well™ paper icon campaign was an incredible success and we would like to thank our customers for making it possible," says Peggy Hornell, senior director, President's Choice^® Children's Charity. "With close to 1.2 million paper icons sold across the country in just two weeks, our customers have once again demonstrated their generosity and have confirmed that they share our commitment to helping children across Canada live to their full potential."

As one of its funding priorities, President's Choice^® Children's Charity supports nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack programs through Breakfast for Learning and Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada. In Newfoundland and Labrador, Breakfast for Learning works in partnership with Kids Eat Smart Foundation and in Quebec, Breakfast for Learning provides funding to Club des petits dejeuners, in addition to providing direct program funding in this province.  The Charity understands that nutrition is fundamental to children's health and that a well-nourished child is likely to learn better, so it aims to provide the resources to help fuel a better learning environment. In 2011, President's Choice^® Children's Charity supported more than 4,000 nutrition programs across Canada.

Another funding priority for the Charity is providing financial grants for families whose children have disabilities.  In 2011, President's Choice^® Children's Charity provided grants to more than 1,800 families across Canada to assist with the costs of equipment, home accessibility, respite care, developmental and physical therapy and accessible vehicles.

Loblaw created President's Choice^® Children's Charity to empower its store colleagues, franchisees and their employees to support families in communities where the Company has retail locations. Since 1989, the charity has awarded more than $72 million, reaching more than 10,000 Canadian families. The costs of the Charity's administration and operations are fully funded by Loblaw, ensuring that 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to helping children with disabilities and nutrition programs in the regions where the money is raised.

Making a Positive Difference in the Community is one of the five corporate social responsibility principles that shape the way Loblaw conducts business. Fundraising initiatives in support of President's Choice^® Children's Charity is just one example of how Loblaw continues to be active in communities on national, regional and local levels. This includes a bi-annual national food drive in partnership with Food Banks Canada to address hunger across Canada, a partnership with WWF-Canada to mobilize Canada to take environmental action and support to a number of local charitable organizations across the country.

Donations can be made at the following Loblaw corporate and franchise store locations: Loblaws^®, Zehrs^®, Your Independent Grocer^TM, valu-mart^®, Fortinos^®, Real Canadian Superstore^®, Real Canadian Wholesale Club^®, Extra Foods^®, nofrills^®, Atlantic Superstore^®, Dominion^® (Newfoundland and Labrador only), SaveEasy^®, Maxi^®, Maxi & Cie^®, Provigo^®, Cash & Carry, Club Entrepot,^, Club Entrepot Provigo^® and  Les Entrepots Presto^®.

For more information about President's Choice^® Children's Charity and to apply for a grant please visit www.pc.ca/charity or call 1-866-996-9918.

About President's Choice^® Children's Charity
President's Choice^® Children's Charity helps Canadian children live to their full potential. They are committed to supporting children's health and wellness across Canada. With a focus on childhood nutrition and children with disabilities, President's Choice^® Children's Charity helps kids through grants for childhood nutrition programs and provides support for families with a child with a disability. The cost of administration and operations of the Charity is funded by Loblaw Companies Limited, ensuring that 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to helping kids and their families. The Charity offers funding across Canada and dollars are granted in the region in which they are raised. Since 1989, the charity has awarded more than $72 million, reaching more than 10,000 Canadian families. For more information on President's Choice^® Children's Charity or to donate online, visit www.pc.ca/charity.

About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is Canada's largest food retailer and a leading provider of drugstore, general merchandise and financial products and services. Loblaw is one of the largest private sector employers in Canada. With more than 1,000 corporate and franchised stores from coast to coast, Loblaw and its franchisees employ more than 135 000 full-time and part-time employees. Through its portfolio of store formats, Loblaw is committed to providing Canadians with a wide, growing and successful range of products and services to meet the everyday household demands of Canadian consumers. Loblaw is known for the quality, innovation and value of its food offering. It offers Canada's strongest control (private) label program, including the unique President's Choice^®, no name^® and Joe Fresh^® brands. In addition, the Company makes available to consumers President's Choice Financial^® services and offers the PC^® points loyalty program.

On behalf of the President's Choice ^® Children's Charity, for more information please contact: 
Loblaw Public Relations Department
905-459-2500 | [email protected]