Safeway Kicks Off Annual Campaign to Support People with Disabilities

CALGARY, March 29, 2012 /CNW/ - Canada Safeway today announced the start of its annual companywide fundraising campaign for Easter Seals™ and Special Olympics.

During April, the company's 215 Safeway stores across Western Canada will raise funds for organizations that are at the forefront of providing assistance, training, therapy and social outlets for the thousands of people who live with physical or intellectual disabilities.

"Assisting people with special needs of all kinds has long been a Safeway priority," said Canada Safeway President and Chief Operating Officer Chuck Mulvenna. "As a company that proudly employs hundreds of people with disabilities, Canada Safeway directly benefits from the incredible work of these organizations and is committed to contributing to their success and increasing their outreach."

Safeway officially launches its "Support for People with Disabilities" fundraiser this week with a series of special events that welcomed Ambassadors from Easter Seals™ and Special Olympics at selected Safeway stores.  Each year Safeway stores dedicate the month of April to raising funds and bringing awareness in support of people with disabilities.  During the campaign, Canada Safeway customers are invited to make a donation of $2.00 at any Safeway store and in return they will receive 5 AirMiles Reward Miles.  100% of the funds raised during the campaign go directly to support Easter Seals™ and Special Olympics Canada.  To date, Safeway stores across North America have raised more the $110 million in support of organizations that assist people with special needs.

"Canada Safeway is Easter Seals™ Canada's biggest national partner, providing essential funding for our camp programs from Vancouver Island to Thunder Bay. Since our first campaign in 2008, Canada Safeway has raised a phenomenal $4.36 million, providing one-of-a-kind camp experiences for thousands of children with disabilities across western Canada.  In addition, Safeway has also generously supported infrastructure projects such as specially designed playgrounds at Easter Seals™ Camps. We are honoured to partner with a philanthropic company that works hard each year to raise funds for our programs, raise profile for our cause and help all Canadian kids with disabilities reach their full potential," said Max Beck, CEO for Easter Seals™ Canada.

"We are grateful to Canada Safeway and its customers for their generous support of our efforts to enrich the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability," said Lindsay Glassco, president and CEO of Special Olympics Canada. "Through this campaign, the awareness and accessibility to our year-round programs increases, and with each donation, lives are transformed, attitudes towards people with an intellectual disability change and communities become stronger."

Easter Seals™ and Special Olympics are just two of the many important organizations and causes that Safeway supports each year. Canada Safeway contributed to a broad range of charitable and community programs and in 2011 donated more than $19 million to hunger relief, support for people with disabilities, health and human services and cancer research.

ABOUT CANADA SAFEWAY www.safeway.ca

Canada Safeway, a wholly owned subsidiary of Safeway Inc. operates 224 stores across Western Canada.  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 1,678 stores in the United States and western Canada and had annual sales of $43.6 billion in 2011. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.

ABOUT EASTER SEALS™ www.easterseals.ca

Easter Seals™ is dedicated to fully enhancing the quality of life, self-esteem and self-determination of Canadians with disabilities. More than 146,000 Canadians and their families annually access programs and services provided by Easter Seals™ organizations across Canada, the best known of which are Easter Seals™ camp programs. Other services include active living opportunities and the provision of specialized equipment such as mobility aids, assistive technology, adaptive computers, augmentative communication devices and adaptations to homes and vehicles for wheelchair accessibility. Easter Seals™ works to ensure that everyone with a disability has access to the equipment, services and recreational opportunities they need to enjoy a high quality of life.

Support children and adults with disabilities at www.easterseals.ca.

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS CANADA www.specialolympics.ca

Established in 1969, the Canadian chapter of this international movement is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport. Operating year-round in all Canadian provinces and territories except Nunavut, this grassroots movement reaches beyond the sphere of sport to empower individuals, change attitudes, and build communities. From two-year olds enrolled in Active Start to mature adults, there are more than 35,000 children, youth, and adults with an intellectual disability registered in Special Olympics programs across Canada, and they are supported by more than 17,100 volunteers, including more than 13,000 trained coaches. For more information, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@SpecialOCanada).

Canada Safeway Limited
Name:    Betty Kellsey
Email:     [email protected]
Phone:   [phone]

Easter Seals™ Canada
Name:    Parag Tandon
Email:     [email protected]
Phone:    [phone] x 228

Special Olympics Canada
Name:   Susana Petti
Email     [email protected]
Phone:  [phone], ext 4383