Food 4 Less, Ralphs launch campaign to support local food banks

LOS ANGELES — Food 4 Less and Ralphs Grocery announced that they are inviting customers to help support local food banks and families in need through a special fundraising campaign that kicks off Nov. 6. In addition, Food 4 Less' Foods Co. division also is collecting donations for food banks in central and northern California.

Customers and Ralphs associates can support food banks in their community through the supermarket chain's nonprofit arm, The Ralphs Fund, by donating their spare change in collection canisters located at the checkstands in their neighborhood Ralphs supermarket.

Food 4 Less and Foods Co. customers and team members can support food banks in their community through the supermarket chain's nonprofit arm, The Food 4 Less/Foods Co. Fund, by donating their spare change in collection canisters located at the checkstands in Food 4 Less stores in Southern California, southern Nevada and greater Chicago, and at Foods Co. supermarkets in central and northern California.

The fundraising campaign will run from Nov. 6 through Jan. 28, 2012.

Monies collected will be donated to food banks and hunger relief organizations in the communities served by Food 4 Less and Foods Co. in California, southern Nevada, and the greater Chicago area. Monies collected from Ralphs will be donated to food banks and hunger relief organizations in communities across Southern California served by Ralphs stores.

"Food 4 Less has a firm commitment to give back to the communities that our customers and team members call home," said Bryan Kaltenbach, president of Food 4 Less/Foods Co. "Through our 'Bringing Hope to the Table' checkstand fundraising campaign, our customers and team members can drive funds to local food banks to help hungry families who are our neighbors."

"Now more than ever, food banks and other hunger organizations are stressed and stretched," Ralphs president Donna Giordano said. "People who have never been in need before have been hurt by the difficult economy and they are struggling to meet their families' basic food needs."