Kroger banners support kids with charitable campaigns

LOS ANGELES — Kroger banners Ralphs and Food 4 Less/Foods Co have kicked off their respective charitable campaigns to benefit children in the markets they serve.

Ralphs, which operates 256 supermarkets, expressed its support of City of Hope's Kids 4 Hope program — a fundraising program for pediatric cancer — by encouraging customers to donate their spare change at Ralphs checkstands nationwide. Ralphs said that through its charitable arm, The Ralphs Fund, the retailer will support pediatric research, treatment and educational programs at the City of Hope. The campaign runs through Feb. 26.

"With thousands of children diagnosed each year with cancer, the City of Hope's Kids 4 Hope program is important in the fight against the disease, and Ralphs is proud to support this important effort," said Mike Donnelly, Ralphs president.

Meanwhile, Foods 4 Less/Foods Co — which operates 146 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the Food 4 Less banners in Southern California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co in Northern California — kicked off a children's hospital fundraising campaign, which runs through May 21. The campaign encourages customers to donate their spare change at Food 4 Less/Foods Co checkstands nationwide. Since 2005, Food 4 Less/Foods Co, its team members and its customers have given more than $1 million to children's hospitals, the company said.