May 4, 2004
CHICAGO, IL — May 4, 2004 — In recognition of excellence and dedication to community programs across the country, Albertsons, Inc., Minyard Food Stores and New Leaf Community Markets have been presented with the 2003-2004 Neighborhood Partnership Awards by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI).

Focusing on youth development, community partnerships, health initiatives and hunger-related programs, the Neighborhood Partnership Awards is a national competition developed by FMI to recognize retail and wholesale member companies for initiatives that revitalize and invigorate their communities.

The Albertsons outreach program, A Su Salud/To Your Health, initially served the Hispanic community in Southern California and has since expanded to African Americans and white Medicare patients. A Su Salud/To Your Health creates a system through which pharmacies become the entry point into the healthcare system for entire families. Albertsons sponsored 150 health fairs in Southern California in the first year alone and expanded to Las Vegas, and now in 2004, the program will be available in Kansas City and Indianapolis.

The health fairs are held in the parking lots of Albertsons stores. Among the list of free screenings offered are height, weight, cholesterol, diabetes, bone density, blood pressure, depression and vision, to name a few. Albertsons has partnered with local government agencies, universities and medical professionals to bring these health fairs to communities, bringing millions of dollars in free medical services to people who need them.

Minyard Food Stores was presented with the Neighborhood Partnership Award for its First Class Teachers program — a teacher appreciation program that awards $1,000 cash to a teacher’s school every week for 32 weeks and a matching $1000 to the teachers’ school — resulting in a total of $64,000in cash awards each year. Since its inception 13 years ago, the First Class Teachers awards program has donated a total of $920,000 cash to area teachers and schools, more than $44,000 in automobiles, since 2003.

Nominees must be actively employed as a full-time or part-time classroom teacher in public or private school, grades Pre-K through 12, within the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan area. There is a “Teacher of the Week” drawing where one winning teacher is selected every Friday in a random drawing from all mail-in entries. There is also a “Teacher of the Year” drawing, where all of the 32 weekly winning teachers are eligible for an additional random drawing that occurs at the congratulatory luncheon at the conclusion of the promotion in May of each year.

New Leaf Community Markets was presented with the Neighborhood Partnership Award for its Field-to-Market-to-You program, a collaboration between New Leaf and Life Lab Science Program, a garden-based science non-profit organization, both based in Santa Cruz, CA. This educational program teaches local elementary students about food systems, nutrition, consumerism, agricultural history, their community, the environment and the world.

Each week, New Leaf’s “Community Educator” visits two classrooms in different schools in the community and teaches a class session. Later in the week, the same classes visit a New Leaf store in their neighborhood for an educational store tour. Field-to-Market-to-You offers two different age-appropriate programs, one for students in the fourth through sixth grades, and a new program for second and third grade students, which meets many state education standards for social sciences.   Both programs utilize math, reading, writing, comparative analysis, research, interpretation and speaking skills.

“FMI applauds these companies for their support and dedication to their communities. They have committed time, energy and resources to these exemplary programs,” said Todd Turner, vice president of membership and urban affairs at FMI. “Their contributions are making a significant difference and exemplify the purpose of the Neighborhood Partnership Awards.”

The award winners receive a formal plaque recognizing their program, as well as recognition in FMI’s ADVANTAGE Magazine, and on the FMI Web site.

For more information on the Neighborhood Partnership Awards program, please contact Nadine Bartholomew, 202-220-0664, nbartholomew@fmi.org.