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lthough we don’t see much of Safeway’s Chairman Steve Burd or his management team at local Chamber of Commerce or other community events, but the Pleasanton-based store sure brings pride and recognition to our city. From campaigns to help the Muscular Dystrophy Association to benefits in partnership with local foundations that make stable housing available to the homeless, Burd and the company’s employees and corporate foundation contribute millions of dollars each year to charitable organizations across America.
“We Care” days and “Miles bring smiles” events at local Safeway stores help reunite searching families with their missing children. Parking lot space is made available for collections stations for the Alameda County food bank and at other times for the National Prostate Cancer Coalition’s mobile screening clinic. The clinic is part of Safeway’s annual CURE prostate cancer fundraising drive held annually at all of the company’s North America stores.
Safeway is a leader in hiring the disabled, including here in Pleasanton where workers with disabilities often help shoppers cart their groceries to their cars, holding regular jobs that help them become self-sufficient. Safeway works with Stepping Stones, now in its 30th year of helping the mentally retarded and those with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism and other organic brain disorders. Store managers find workers supplied by Stepping Stones to be dedicated, reliable and loyal Safeway employees, whose time and attendance records are often far superior compared to those of employees who are not disabled.
Now Safeway has launched a month long program to raise funds for Easter Seals’ community-based programs that help those with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. Among these is Kaleidoscope, a Dublin-based organization just across I-580 from Safeway’s Pleasanton headquarters that serves the severely disabled in the Tri-Valley. Easter Seals is one of the leading providers of these special services in our area. It expects the current Safeway campaign could raise as much as $5 million for its charitable work.
Since 1985, Safeway and the Safeway Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, have helped raise nearly $78 million for Easter Seals. Other corporations also support Easter Seals, but Safeway is by the far the most generous whose management team and employees show a clear passion for the cause of helping people with disabilities. And, it’s not just at Safeway Pleasanton headquarters or local stores. Employees at Safeway-owned stores across the country raised over $2.5 million in 2006 in support of Easter Seals community-based services. These include Vons, Tom Thumb, Dominick’s, Randall’s, Genuardi’s, Carrs and Pavilions, all part of the Safeway group,
Safeway also demonstrates support for local and national charities by sponsoring golf tournaments, holiday bakes sales and coupon sales. As Safeway expands across the country, more and more children and adults with disabilities will be benefiting from the generosity and dedication to giving back and supporting the communities in which Safeway stores do business, all part of the spirit of community support driven by the management team and executive staff of Safeway Corporation, right here in Pleasanton. We’re proud it’s Safeway’s home town as well as ours.
