Thanks Ontario, President's Choice® Children's Charity raised more than $900,000 during recent campaign

Funding will go to help children with physical and developmental disabilities and to support community nutrition programs aimed at fighting childhood hunger

BRAMPTON, ON, Nov. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - President's Choice® Children's Charity is proud that its two-week Lay Down A Toonie, Lift Up A Kid™ customer campaign in Ontario, held at participating Loblaws^®, Zehrs^®, Your Independent Grocer^TM, valu-mart^®, Fortinos^®, Real Canadian Superstore^®, Real Canadian Wholesale Club^® and nofrills® stores, raised more than $900,000. One hundred per cent of funds raised will go toward supporting Ontario families whose children have physical or development disabilities, as well as nutrition programs aimed at fighting childhood hunger.

"We sincerely appreciate the generosity of our customers and colleagues across Ontario," said Inge van den Berg, member of President's Choice^® Children's Charity Board of Directors and senior vice-president, Corporate Strategy, Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw). "By raising over $900,000 in just two weeks, Ontarioans confirmed that they share our commitment to helping children in Ontario."

The Lay Down A Toonie, Lift Up A Kid™ customer campaign is just one of many initiatives that Loblaw and its banners have in place to raise funds for the President's Choice^® Children's Charity. To date in 2012, thanks to the generosity of customers, donors and the support of a vast network of employees, the President's Choice^® Children's Charity awarded a total of more than $4.3 million to some 803 families across Ontario and another $1 million to 919 nutrition programs that serve over 178,000 students.

"President's Choice® Children's Charity is committed to helping kids across Canada live to their fullest potential," said Peggy Hornell, executive director, President's Choice® Children's Charity. "Through our grants for disability and donations to nutrition programs, we want to help as many children as possible - ultimately having a positive impact on the next generation of Canadians."

Loblaw created President's Choice^® Children's Charity to empower its store colleagues and its franchisees and their employees to assist families in communities that Loblaw is a part of. In 2011, President's Choice^® Children's Charity proudly granted more than $13.3 million nationally, supporting more than 4,000 nutrition programs and providing grants to more than 1,800 families whose children have physical or developmental disabilities.

In Ontario, Loblaws^®, Zehrs^®, Your Independent Grocer^®, valu-mart^®, Fortinos^®, Real Canadian Superstore^®, Real Canadian Wholesale Club^® and nofrills® stores are corporate and franchise banner stores of Loblaw Companies Limited. Fundraising initiatives in support of President's Choice^® Children's Charity are just one example of how the Company and its banners continues to be active in communities on a national, regional and local level.

For more information about President's Choice^® Children's Charity and to apply for a grant, please visit www.pc.ca/charity or call 1-800-361-1168.

About President's Choice^® Children's Charity
President's Choice^® Children's Charity is committed to helping children across Canada, with a focus on children with disabilities and on childhood nutrition. The Charity's cost of administration and operations is funded by Loblaw Companies Limited, ensuring that 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes to helping children. The Charity offers funding across Canada, and grants are awarded in the region in which they are raised. Since 1989, the Charity has awarded more than $72 million, reaching more than 10,000 families and 4,000 nutrition programs. 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 than135,000full-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 ChoiceFinancial^® services and offers the PC^®points loyalty program.

SOURCE: Loblaw Companies Limited

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