President's Choice(R) Children's Charity increases sponsorship of Breakfast
for Learning to $7.2 million

Donation will support more than 2,900 children and youth nutrition programs in the country

TORONTO, April 30 /CNW/ - Breakfast for Learning announces today that President's Choice(R) Children's Charity will increase its support for Breakfast for Learning to $7.2 million over four years. Breakfast for Learning provides nutrition programs to help children and youth across the country receive healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks to help fuel a better learning environment. President's Choice Children's Charity is the National Premier Sponsor of Breakfast for Learning.

"As Canada's pre-eminent food retailer, we take our role in supporting the nutritional health of Canadian families very seriously. Our partnership with Breakfast for Learning is one of the many ways we demonstrate our commitment to help make a positive difference in our communities and to support the health and development of children," said Galen G. Weston, chair of President's Choice Children's Charity and executive chairman, Loblaw Companies Limited.

Research shows that well-nourished students show improved memory, problem-solving skills and creative abilities - overall, they perform better in school. Together with generous supporters like President's Choice Children's Charity, Breakfast for Learning funds 2,900 child nutrition programs across Canada, serving healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks to more than 222,000 children in a nurturing environment. 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 déjeuners, in addition to providing direct program funding in both provinces.

"We are delighted that President's Choice Children's Charity has again made such a generous donation by increasing their support from $3 million to $7.2 million over four years to help feed children nutritious meals," says Wendy Wong, president and CEO of Breakfast for Learning. "President's Choice Children's Charity's commitment is critical in helping Breakfast for Learning reach our goal of ensuring that children across the country attend school well-nourished and ready to learn."

In addition to the financial support that President's Choice Children's Charity donates to Breakfast for Learning, many Loblaw colleagues, participating franchises and franchise employees from across the country have also shown their personal support by volunteering their time at local school nutrition programs to help prepare and serve meals and snacks for children. These visits have given them the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of nutrition programs and actively make a difference, knowing that for many of the children the meal that they have been given may be their only nutritious meal for the day.

For more information about Breakfast for Learning's partnership with President's Choice Children's Charity visit www.breakfastforlearning.ca.

Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) is committed to being active in communities at the national, regional and local levels and the Company views this as an integral component to the success of its business. A commitment to make a positive difference in communities is one of five Loblaw corporate social responsibility pillars, which also includes respect the environment, source with integrity, reflect our nation's diversity and be a great place to work.

About Breakfast for Learning

Breakfast for Learning was founded in 1992 as the first and most comprehensive national organization in Canada dedicated to the direct support of school nutrition programs and the healthy development of children and youth. Having served over 300 million meals to date, Breakfast for Learning continues to utilize a community development model with over 30,000 volunteers who deliver breakfast, lunch and/or snack programs across the country. For more information, visit www.breakfastforlearning.ca.

About President's Choice(R) Children's Charity

President's Choice(R) Children's Charity is dedicated to helping children who are physically or developmentally challenged. Our aim is to remove some of the obstacles that make everyday living extremely difficult and to provide these young people with a renewed sense of dignity, independence and freedom. President's Choice(R) Children's Charity also addresses hunger and is the National Premier Sponsor of Breakfast for Learning. Cost of administration and operations of the charity is funded by Loblaw Companies Limited, ensuring that 100% 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 $46 million, reaching more than 6,500 families. For more information on the President's Choice(R) Children's Charity or to donate online, visit www.presidentschoice.ca.

About Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is Canada's largest food distributor 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 over 138,000 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(R), no name(R) and Joe Fresh Style(R) brands. In addition, the Company makes available to consumers President's Choice Financial(R) services and offers the PC(R) points loyalty program.

For further information: Media Contacts: Katrina Cinelli, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Breakfast for Learning, Phone: [phone] ext. 31, Email: [email protected]; Loblaw Public Relations Department, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]