Jewel-Osco Expands Fight Against Hunger Through ‘Help Buck Hunger’ Campaign

CHICAGO, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ — Jewel-Osco is creating a united front against hunger this season by partnering with the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) and the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) for its “Help Buck Hunger” campaign, Nov. 1-7, at all Jewel-Osco Food Stores.

Beginning Nov. 1, all Jewel-Osco customers can support the “Help Buck Hunger” campaign by donating $1, or a greater amount, at any Jewel-Osco check-out register. All proceeds from the donations will be split equally and donated to NIFB and GCFD to help feed the hungry and those less fortunate across Chicago and the 13 county region.

Jewel-Osco, a long-time supporter in the fight against hunger, has donated over 6.2 million pounds of food in total, including 1.7 million pounds of meat, to both NIFB and GCFD in 2007 alone.

“Jewel-Osco has made a strong commitment to support hunger relief,” said Keith Nielsen, president of Jewel-Osco, and a vice president on the executive committee at NIFB. “Right now, hunger is a reality for many people living in this society. We are stepping up our efforts to help meet the need during the holiday season.”

Northern Illinois Food Bank serves 13 Northern Illinois counties by providing food assistance to low income, needy people through a network of over 520 food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and other nonprofit food assistance sites. Collectively, these agency partners help more than 275,000 people living in poverty and serve an average of 37,400 different people each week.

In the past year, NIFB distributed over 22 million pounds of food. NIFB operates an aggressive youth feeding program that provides an average of 2150 meals each day to needy children. The Food Bank operates a fleet of nine trucks that deliver food daily to its agency partners within its 7,000 square mile service area, and employs the use of a mobile pantry to reach out of the way rural areas. Through Jewel-Osco’s “Help Buck Hunger” campaign donations, NIFB will continue to fight hunger and feed those in need through the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Jewel-Osco continues to be an outstanding partner in the fight against hunger by helping us provide more food assistance to people in need,” said H. Dennis Smith, executive director and CEO, Northern Illinois Food Bank. “Jewel’s strong concern for the welfare of the overall community is exhibited daily as they donate food and funds. Their employees regularly give their time volunteering. Were it not for Jewel’s help, we would fall far short in our mission to feed the hungry.”

For fiscal year 2005-2006, the Greater Chicago Food Depository distributed more than 40 million pounds of food through it’s network of 600 agencies — the equivalent of more than 84,000 meals per day, 365 days a year. Of that amount, 7 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables were made available through the Depository’s Produce People Share program, including 2.6 million pounds that were directly distributed via produce mobiles to 40 Chicago Housing Authority and member agency sites. More than 5.3 million pounds of food came from the Depository’s Food Rescue program. Through this program, refrigerated trucks pick up prepared food from restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, company cafeterias, caterers, food shows and schools and deliver it the same day to soup kitchens and shelters.

“Without partners like Jewel-Osco, the Greater Chicago Food Depository could not provide 40 million pounds of food each year for hungry men, women and children in our community,” said Kate Maehr, executive director of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “Hunger is a significant issue, but we are fortunate to have a significant response in Cook County. The ‘Buck Hunger’ effort ensures that Jewel-Osco customers can be a part of the response to hunger.”

Both Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Greater Chicago Food Depository are members of America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s food bank network, and the Illinois Food Bank Association.

About JEWEL-OSCO

Jewel-Osco, a SUPERVALU company, operates 185 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. With a market-leading position in Chicago, Jewel-Osco stores offer consumers the convenience of combined grocery and pharmacy retail, in addition to services such as fuel centers at select locations. Originally established in 1899, the company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve, contributing more than $4 million each year to a variety of local charitable causes. For more information about Jewel-Osco, please visit http://www.jewelosco.com/ or http://www.oscopharmacy.com/

About NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK

NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK, a member of America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network, acquires donated food from retailers, manufacturers, corporations, and community resources and distributes it through its network of over 520 food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens and other nonprofit food assistance sites to help the 275,008 people living in poverty in 13 northern Illinois counties, including Boone, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Will, and Winnebago Counties. Food distribution reached over 22 million pounds in fiscal year 2007. Northern Illinois Food Bank has been committed to helping feed hungry people for more than 24 years. For more information on NIFB, please call 630.443.6910 or visit http://www.northernilfoodbank.org/.

About GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY

GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY, Chicago’s food bank, is a not-for-profit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. The Food Depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 600 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters to almost a half-million adults and children every year. Last year, the Food Depository distributed more than 40 million pounds of nonperishable food and fresh produce, dairy products and meat, the equivalent of more than 84,000 meals every day. Innovative training programs and initiatives developed by the Food Depository also work to provide men, women and children with the tools necessary to break their individual cycles of poverty. For more information, log onto http://www.chicagofoodbank.org/ or call 773-247-FOOD.

Jewel-Osco

CONTACT: Mollie West of R.J. Dale Advertising & Public Relations,+1-312-644-2316, mwest@rjdale.com, for Jewel-Osco; or Susan Ericson ofNorthern Illinois Food Bank, +1-630-443-6910,smericson@northernilfoodbank.org; or Robert M. Dolgan of Greater Chicago FoodDepository, +1-773-843-7293, rmdolgan@gcfd.org

Web site: http://www.jewelosco.com/http://www.oscopharmacy.com/http://www.northernilfoodbank.org/http://www.chicagofoodbank.org/