Real Canadian Superstore locations and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society are pleased to participate in Food Banks Canada's new Retail Food program to help fight hunger

VANCOUVER, March 7, 2013 /CNW/ - TSX: L: - Building on the Extra Helping™ Food Drive program, Real Canadian Superstore^® locations and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS) are pleased to join efforts in a new initiative to help fight hunger by participating in Food Banks Canada's new Retail Food program in the Vancouver area.

The program will help provide fresh food (bakery, meat and produce) to the 27,000 individuals and families that rely on the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society every week, of which 26 per cent are children.

"Unfortunately, we continue to see an increasing need throughout our communities," says Aart Schuurman Hess, chief executive officer, Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. "This program will assist us in providing our clients with a consistent flow of fresh food. We thank the Real Canadian Superstore^® team for working with us on this initiative, and for being such a valuable community partner to us for many years."

With this new program, Real Canadian Superstore^® locations, in addition to their ongoing donation of non-perishable food, will work with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society to set aside a mix of fresh food, depending on product assortment and availability.

"Our grocery stores are proud to be part of the communities we serve and we are pleased to have been able to develop an arrangement that helps to increase the availability of fresh, quality food to those in need," says Alex Morrison, regional vice-president, BC/Yukon Operations, Real Canadian Superstore^® & Extra Foods^®, Loblaw Companies Limited.

In 2012, Loblaw banner stores in British Columba raised $160,000 and 140,000 pounds of food donated by customers and colleagues during food drives held at Real Canadian Superstore^®, Your Independent Grocer^®, nofrills^®, Extra Foods^®, and Wholesale Club™ stores.

"We are very excited and thrilled to be a part of this progressive approach to help meet the needs of local and provincial food banks. Across the country, Loblaw banner stores will participate in the Food Retail program in Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg and Calgary," says Peggy Hornell, senior director, Community Investment, Loblaw Companies Limited.

Nationally, Loblaw banner stores have a long history of supporting food banks in their local communities. Since the launch of the Extra Helping™ Food Drive campaign in 2009, Loblaw has raised over $5.6 million in cash donations and 6.3 million pounds of food. Additionally, it has donated $1.125 million corporately.

The 2013 Extra Helping™ Spring Food Drive kicks off on April 19, 2013, at Real Canadian Superstore^®, Your Independent Grocer^®, nofrills^®, Extra Foods^®, and Wholesale Club™ stores in communities across British Columbia.

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 134,000 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.

About the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS)
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food and related assistance to those in need. The GVFBS collects and distributes food for nearly 27,000 people weekly through 15 food depots and over 100 community agencies located in Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and North Vancouver. The GVFBS does not receive government funding and relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations willing to donate funds, food and time. For more information, please visit www.foodbank.bc.ca.

SOURCE: Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw Public Relations Department
[phone] or [email protected] 

Kay Thody
Communications Director
Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society
[email protected]
[phone]