Celebrities Go Shopping to Fight Hunger This Holiday; Vons/Pavilions employees launch chainwide fundraising campaign to support community-based hunger programs.

Business/Entertainment Editors & Consumer/Lifestyle Writers

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2000

Shoppers and families who visit their local Vons and Pavilions stores during the holidays will have the opportunity to give the perfect gift -- a donation to help fight hunger in their communities.

Today, Vons/Pavilions employees teamed up with celebrities in kicking-off a fundraising campaign with Hunger Free America, a newly formed national public-private partnership to end hunger throughout the United States.

Celebrities active in the Entertainment Industry Foundation who joined in the kick-off included Maria Bello ("ER" and "Coyote Ugly"), Roark Critchlow ("The Game" and "Days of Our Lives"), Natasha Allas (Miss World USA), Jennifer Gareis ("The 6th Day" and The "Young and the Restless"), Melora Hardin ("Cover Me").

Through December 31, all Southern California and Nevada Vons and Pavilions stores will participate in a special promotion to sell "Gifts" -- paper icons -- for a $1 donation. Each customer donation will support community foodbanks and programs to help end hunger.

Vons will match every customer donation with a food contribution to local food banks. Additionally, every time customers purchase selected Lipton products at Vons/Pavilions, Lipton will make a 25 cents donation (up to $20,000) to the Hunger Free America campaign.

"Especially during the holidays, it's important that all of us make the extra effort to help children and families in our communities who are less fortunate," said Vons president Tom Keller. "Through Hunger Free America, we hope to make a difference and raise awareness about hunger issues in America."

Community organizations selected by Vons employees to receive proceeds from this fundraising campaign include the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, various Second Harvest Foodbanks, Ventura Foodshare, the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Poverello House in Fresno, the Bakersfield Rescue Mission, California Emergency Foodlink, the United Farm Workers Relief Effort, Western Eagle Foundation and the San Diego Foodbank.

Vons, a division of Safeway Inc. (SWY), operates 325 stores under the Vons and Pavilions banners in California and Nevada. Vons employees have a long tradition of supporting community foodbanks, providing nearly $15 million in food and supplies to hunger relief organizations during 1999 alone. Vons, along with Lipton, will join Hunger Free America and various foodbank representatives in December to distribute proceeds raised from this campaign.