Supporting the communities we serve
Our companies participate directly in community events, sponsor charitable causes and organize fundraising activities to meet the needs of their individual markets.
Hunger relief
As food providers, hunger relief initiatives are a natural focus for our operating companies. All of our U.S. supermarket businesses are involved in supporting local food banks as well as America's Second Harvest, the national network of food banks. For example, Stop & Shop raised €900,000 for local hunger relief organizations in the company's 18th annual "Food for Friends" campaign.
Youth-focused activities
Ahold USA supports local schools and youth groups. It makes many smaller donations within each community, sponsoring athletic teams, and after-school activities.
Health-related programs
Many forms of community involvement by our companies are rooted in Ahold's commitment to encourage customers to make the right choices for a healthy lifestyle.
In 2006, Albert Heijn launched a program to raise money for the World Cancer Research Fund. The company's supermarkets and a group of five manufacturers donated €100,000.
Other health-related programs described in the Healthy Living chapter in this report, such as Albert and Hypernova's Healthy Five program, also have significant elements of community engagement.
Many forms of community involvement by our companies are rooted in Ahold's commitment to encourage customers to make the right choices for a healthy lifestyle.