AWG Bags Help Breast Cancer Org

Associated Wholesale Grocers' (AWG) advertising department, AWG Advertising, has donated funds on behalf of its member retailers from the proceeds of pink-ribbon reusable bags to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, in support of the organization’s efforts for breast cancer research, prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

The department designed a bag that it offered to AWG member retailers. More than 150 AWG stores purchased the bags, raising a total of more than $3,600.

“Many of our member retailers, and those here at AWG have been touched by breast cancer in some way, so whenever we can give to an organization like Susan G. Komen and to raise some awareness among the customers of our retailers, that’s a positive,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Kansas City, Kan.-based AWG.

Retailers often resell the pink-ribbon bags and make their own donations to Susan G. Komen and other breast cancer organizations. AWG Advertising has been offering the bags to retailers for five years.

“We’re really answering the need we hear from our members,” noted AWG Advertising Manager Randy Lane. “Retailers love being a part of this program and were drawn to the charitable aspect of it.”

Donations were made on behalf of the following AWG members: Greer’s, Market Basket, Mac’s Fresh Market, Apple Market, Country Mart, E.W. James, Crest Foods, Wehner’s Thriftway, Keith’s Foods, Bender’s Foods, KcKinney’s Food Store, Roziers, Harts, Finks, Vancii Foods, Piggly Wiggly, Doug’s Market, Reeves Boomland, Stephensons 4 Warehouse, Food Giant, Mad Butcher, Super C Mart, Puckett’s, Lucky’s, Main’s Market, Harvest Foods, Sun Fresh Dallas, Sullivan’s Foods, Reasor’s and Brookshire Brothers.

AWG is the United States’ largest food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving more than 3,500 locations in 35 states in nine full-line wholesale divisions.