Safeway Forms Tucson Victims Fund

Safeway last week created a fund to aid the victims of the January 8, 2011 shooting in Tucson, Ariz. and launched it with an initial contribution of $100,000 from the Safeway Foundation.

This opening contribution will be bolstered by in-store contributions from Safeway customers and community members in the company’s Arizona stores. Donation canisters have been placed at check stands in the company’s 116 Arizona stores. “We have felt the shock and the sadness, and with our neighbors, we have felt this community come together to heal and to reach out to the victims and their families,” said Dan Valenzuela, Safeway’s division president for Arizona. “The fund is an extension of what we – and everyone in Tucson – have done from the very beginning. As a community, we have tried to find ways to help where we can and to stand together.”

The Safeway Tucson store at Ina and Oracle was the scene of the tragic event. The store remains closed today as law enforcement officials continue their investigation. During the closure, Safeway has focused its efforts on attending to the needs of its employees, many of whom came to the aid of victims and put the safety of customers above all other considerations.

Contributions may be made at any Arizona Safeway store or by mail to the Safeway Foundation, Safeway Arizona Division, 2750 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ, 85282. Checks should be made payable to the “Safeway Foundation Tucson Victims Fund.”