Fresh & Easy's Annual 'Shop for Schools' Now in Session

Now that kids have headed back to class, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market rolled out its third annual “Shop for Schools” fundraising program this week at a store opening in Fresno, Calif. Shop for Schools began as a pilot program in spring 2009, raising over $130,000 for schools in California, Nevada and Arizona. The El Segundo, Calif.-based chain revived the program in fall 2009, raising another $670,000 for area schools.

Eligible schools can enroll in the program through Oct. 1. Participating schools get a $1 cash donation for every $20 receipt collected from any Fresh & Easy location through Dec. 31. At the end of the program, the grocer will give the top fundraising school in each state of its market area a $5,000 bonus.

"At a time when school districts across the state are faced with difficult budget choices, it is important for companies like Fresh & Easy to step in and help," noted Bonnie Reiss, California's Secretary of Education, praising Fresh & Easy for continuing to offer the program.

As well as collecting receipts, registered schools can take part in Shopping Nights, which enable the program to raise even more money. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on each school's designated shopping night, 5 percent of total sales at the local Fresh & Easy store go to that school.

Fresh & Easy has created a video about the program, which can be viewed at www.youtube.com/user/talkingfresh#p/a/u/1/fWCetri7GK0.

In other Fresh & Easy news, the banner has opened six stores in California this month, and plans to bow three locations in San Diego County on Sept. 22. The division of U.K. grocer Tesco operates 165 stores in California, Arizona and Nevada.