Back to School

Progressive Grocer and SHOPA's Steve Jacober offer a handy back-to-school checklist for the college market.

MINNEAPOLIS - Target, through its Take Charge of Education school fund-raising program, has awarded $13 million to schools across the country. The donation was the company's second check donation this year.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - After hundreds of New York schools participated in the program its first time around in 2003, the New York Apple Association is repeating the New York Apples for Education initiative, with support from General Mills and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

MINNEAPOLIS - Target Corp. completed the sale of its Mervyn's department store division -- a promotional, middle-market department store with 257 stores in 13 states primarily in the West and South -- to an investment consortium, as well as the divesture of Mervyn's $475 million credit card receivables to GE Consumer Finance.

BOISE, Idaho - Extending an innovative children's reading education program for a third year, Albertsons and Coca-Cola are partnering to donate 500,000 books to schools and children's organizations across the country.

LANDOVER, Md. - In conjunction with the kickoff of National Food Safety Education Month in September, Giant Food has launched an effort to offer consumers back-to-school food tips for keeping lunches safe.

TROY, Mich. - Kmart Holding Corp. reported its third consecutive quarterly profit yesterday despite declines in revenues, sales, and same-store sales.

NEW YORK - Grocers' cross-channel competitors offered a mixed bag of July sales reports, with warehouse clubs riding fuel price hikes to the stronger results, while other discounters delivered softer performances in the month.