Last updated on November 14th, 2016 at 02:58 pm
On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, Albertsons Cos. announced that it is paying tribute to veterans with a host of community-based events, financial support to veterans organizations and additional outreach to honor and show appreciation for America’s veterans.
The company and its 19 store banners, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, has dedicated a week of events to celebrating the men and women who served in the armed forces.
“We salute America’s Veterans and thank them for the tremendous sacrifice that they and their families made to defend the freedoms we hold dear,” said Bob Miller, chairman and CEO of Albertsons Cos. in Boise, Idaho. “As a company that employs countless veterans, we know the importance of their contributions during and after active service. We’re committed to helping provide services, housing, training and other core needs to ensure veterans live with the dignity that they deserve.”
Albertsons Cos. operates more than 2,300 stores across the U.S. under 19 banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs.
Through Nov. 13, shoppers can make a donation at checkout at any Albertsons, Safeway, Vons and Pavilion store in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming. Funds will benefit programs like the Las Positas College Veterans First Program in Livermore, California, which this week received a check for $30,000 from the company’s Northern California Division Safeway stores and The Safeway Foundation. The funds, donated by customers though a previous veterans campaign, will help the college hire student veterans to serve as mentors to incoming student veterans who are transitioning from active service to student life.
In its home state of Idaho, Albertsons sponsored the annual Boise Veterans Day Parade, one of Idaho’s largest parades, on Nov. 5. This year’s theme, “A Salute to Women in Uniform,” recognized the new era in military history in which women can serve in combat.
The parade was followed by another Albertsons-sponsored event—the annual Veterans Breakfast at the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa on Nov. 6. The event, attended by more than 1,400 people, recognized local veterans.
Brigadoon Dog Services, a Bellingham, Washington, organization that trains service dogs for veterans and people with physical or developmental disabilities, received a $22,000 donation from the Albertsons Companies Foundation to provide service dogs to two deserving veterans.
In the Chicagoland area, six Jewel-Osco stores are partnering with Fifth Third Bank and Operation Support Our Troops to sponsor the annual Veterans Day Shop and Drop, a community event in which citizens are encouraged to purchase or provide new necessities, like grooming supplies and hygiene items, for active service members. The items are shipped to troops around the world.
In many cities, financial support is coupled with volunteer efforts of store teams and division management. In Southern California, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions employees are rolling up their sleeves and working side-by-side with veterans this weekend to build new homes with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. The annual Veterans Build, a Veterans Day tradition since 2011, brings together volunteers from multiple organizations to build and repair homes for low-income people, including veterans and their families. This year’s volunteers will build six homes in the city of Bellflower. This is the second year that the Albertsons Companies Foundation and the Vons Foundation have served as title sponsors of the Veterans Build, providing both financial and volunteer support.
Randalls stores in Texas are helping to create a park that will honor past, present and future Veterans. In partnership with Cypress Equities, the team at Randalls this week donated $10,000 to City of Leander’s Veterans Park Project. The 3.3-acre park, currently under construction, will feature a pond surrounded by Military Seal stands and memorial flags, an amphitheater, quarry-block seating, shade trees, and an impressive sculpture of an American bald eagle. The first phase of the park will open Dec. 7.
On the East Coast, Shaw’s and Star Market stores are thanking veterans for their service by helping to keep more of their earnings in their pockets. Through Nov. 17, veterans as well as active and reserve military service members will receive a 10 percent discount (exclusions apply) when they present a valid military identification at checkout.
Wilcox named Albertsons Cos. VP-communications/public affairs
In other Albertsons news, Christine Wilcox has been promoted from VP of corporate communications to VP of communications and public affairs. Wilcox is filling a vacancy created when Brian Dowling retired from the company earlier this year.
Wilcox is an 18-year veteran of Albertsons, and for the last 10 years has served in both internal communications and public relations roles. As part of Wilcox’s new role with Albertsons Cos., she will lead a newly integrated internal and external communications team and will drive the company’s communications strategy around its growth, trajectory, innovative practices and community involvement, “which help enable it to run really great stores,” according to Albertsons. As part of the new approach, Albertsons also has partnered with The Glover Park Group, a strategic communications firm.
“Chris has been an instrumental leader in our company since we began in 2006, and her passion for our history, employees and loyal customers is self-evident. Chris is yet another example of what we aim to do at Albertsons Cos.—empower really talented people and encourage them to grow their careers here,” said Andy Scoggin, EVP of human resources, labor relations, public affairs and government relations.
An Idaho native, Wilcox graduated from Idaho State University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. She joined Albertsons in 1998 as an editor, and held positions of increasing responsibility, including executive liaison to the board of directors, training director for Albertson’s Inc., and training and communications director for two former subsidiaries of Albertson’s Inc. that were operated separately from the company. Wilcox accepted a role as Southwest Division communications and public affairs director with Albertson’s LLC in 2006 and was named VP of communications and public affairs for Albertson’s LLC in 2013 following the acquisition of stores from Supervalu.
