Albertsons Companies Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Albertsons Companies Foundation funds K-12 education, hunger, public health, diseases and veterans causes. This funder works in areas of the United States that are served by its twelve supermarket chains.
IP TAKE: This funder strongly supports local and community-led organizations in its geographic areas of priority. Much of its philanthropy is conducted through partnerships and store-sponsored fund-raising events. This funder is accessible and accepts applications for funding on an ongoing basis through its online portal, but networking with local store management will likely be key.
PROFILE: The Albertsons Companies Foundation represents the philanthropic arms of the 12 Albertsons supermarket chains: Albertsons, Tom Thumb, Safeway, Shaws, Star, Amigos, Market Street, Vons, Acme, Jewel Osco, Randalls and United Supermarkets. The foundation is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, with satellite offices at the headquarters of each supermarket chain. It aims to improve the lives of people in the areas served by its retail food stores, which operate in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Albertsons funds local nonprofits and schools working in the areas of K-12 education, public health, diseases, hunger and veterans causes.
Grants for K-12 Education
Albertsons K-12 funding aims to help children succeed in school and life. The foundation approaches this broad goal by supporting in-school and out-of-school programs and interventions that focus on improving academic achievement, test scores and attendance. Recently funded projects have addressed mathematics achievement, business education and financial literacy, with some tie-ins to the parent companies’ supermarket businesses. In Lubbock, Texas, the foundation partnered with Texas Tech University to fund and produce Lubbock Lemonade Day, an event that encouraged students to create and execute small-scale business plans for lemonade stands. In Nevada, Albertsons supported Mariachi band music programs at middle schools across Clark County.
Another area of K-12 funding supports education and services for students with disabilities. The foundation has partnered with several local organizations that help disabled students to attend out-of-school programs and camps and receive special services. One past grantee in this area, Muscular Dystrophy Association Camps, provides children with muscle disease with strength and mobility training in a fun, camp-like experience. Albertsons has also funded Special Olympics programs in Northern California and Nevada.
Grants for Public Health and Food Systems
Albertsons public health grantmaking focuses on nutrition education and preventative lifestyles and care. Many funded programs tie-in with events at Albertsons supermarkets. A past grantee in this area is Stand Up to Cancer, which used funding to run breast cancer awareness programs at Safeway markets in Los Angeles and New York. Albertsons also makes large-scale food donations to hunger relief programs and food banks in the communities served by its supermarkets.
Grants for Diseases
In the areas of disease research and medical care for diseases, Albertsons focuses on cancer research organizations and invests primarily in efforts to increase the number of individuals who are able to obtain preventative screening, enroll in trials and have access to alternative medicines and treatments. The foundation partnered with the Nevada Health Centers to provide mammography to uninsured women and has supported research on immunotherapy in partnership with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Grants for Military and Veterans
Albertsons’ Veterans initiative focuses on “recent veterans for post-September 11th conflicts.” Areas of interest include employment, healthcare, mental health and family support, with a focus on the transition back to civilian life. One past grantee, the United States Veterans Initiative of Barber’s Point, assists local veterans with housing, job placement, mental health and case management services. The foundation has also worked with the Brigadoon Service Dog organization to place service dogs with veterans suffering with PTSD. And in Oakland, California, Albertsons has funded Swords to Plowshares, an organization that trains and matches veterans with new employers.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from a few thousand dollars to over $500,000. The foundation works mainly in areas where it operates supermarkets, supporting a variety of established and grass-roots organizations in these communities. Many of its philanthropic projects consist of grocery store-based promotions and events, but it appears that the foundation engages in traditional grantmaking as well.
This funder accepts applications for funding on an ongoing basis through its website. According to the foundation’s website, having an Albertsons employee sponsor an application significantly increases its chances of receiving funding. A list of local contacts is provided for this purpose.
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