Since its inception, The Safeway Foundation has raised more than $69 million for breast cancer and prostate cancer causes. Through various initiatives and in partnership with leading medical centers, we are dedicating tens of millions of dollars each year toward critical research that may find a cure for these devastating diseases within our lifetime.

Twice each year Safeway rallies its employees and the communities they serve to raise money and awareness for organizations that aid people with disabilities. Last year we raised a combined $14.1 million for Easter Seals.

Since 1986 we have helped raise $80.5 million for Easter Seals, including $6.8 million in 2007. This support helps Easter Seals provide a range of vital services for people with disabilities, including medical rehabilitation, speech therapy, occupational therapy, job training, adult and child day care services, and recreational activities. Easter Seals is also the largest provider of services and support for children and adults living with autism. More than 1.5 million Americans live with autism, the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world today. Easter Seals, with help from Safeway, has improved access to and delivery of local autism services and treatments for both children and adults living with autism throughout the country.

MDA is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to conquering more than 40 neuromuscular diseases that affect 1 million Americans of all ages. By collecting donations at checkstands, conducting individual store fundraising events and collaborating with our suppliers through the Aisles of Smiles program, we have raised more than $32 million for MDA since 2003, including $7.3 million in 2007.

Hunger relief is a natural extension of our business and a good fit for our community outreach. The need is great. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, 35 million Americans — including 12 million children — live in households that are uncertain of having, or are unable to acquire, sufficient food to meet basic needs.

In 2007 we donated approximately $110 million worth of merchandise to food banks, soup kitchens and various hunger-relief programs, bringing our total food donations over the past decade to more than $1 billion.

Throughout our operating areas, we sponsor seasonal fundraising and food collection programs to assist regional hunger-relief agencies. Our holiday programs alone collect the equivalent of almost 2 million meals.

Safeway also is a leading supporter of America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest network of food banks. Collectively these facilities feed about 25 million people. We're also active in Canada, where we provide financial and in-kind assistance to local food banks, soup kitchens and emergency shelters.

Last year we contributed $23 million for educational purposes through the eScrip rewards program. Since teaming up with eScrip in 2000, we have donated in excess of $168 million to local schools and youth groups throughout our operating areas. These funds are used for worthwhile classroom expenditures such as new computers, school supplies, art programs, curriculum enhancements, textbooks, music enrichment and open gymnasiums.

In 2005 we began partnering with 40 food manufacturers and suppliers to donate 10% of the sale price of 1,000 selected products to schools chosen by our customers. Donations from the Back to Schools program in 2007 exceeded $3.2 million.

As part of our ongoing commitment to education, we also support numerous school scholarship funds and youth development foundations, and we sponsor a broad range of after-school and physical education activities.

During 2007 we donated almost $1 million in cash and in-kind assistance to support communities struck by the devastating fires in the Lake Tahoe basin of Northern California and along the coastal hills of Southern California, and by the floods in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. In recent years we have provided more than $8 million to support emergency relief and rebuilding efforts for disasters such as Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast and the tsunami in South Asia.

In addition to the above activities, our employees donate countless hours of volunteer work to local efforts such as mentoring programs, food banks, schools and youth sports activities. We encourage and support these efforts through our Community Pride program, augmenting our employees' good work with financial contributions to the organizations and activities they support.