ADDING MULTIMEDIA Safeway Inc. Launches Annual Prostate Cancer Campaign With $4 Million Fundraising Goal

(PressMethod) - Safeway Inc. (NYSE:SWY - News) formally launched its annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Fundraiser today with a kick-off celebration at the company's corporate headquarters. Safeway, a long-time supporter of prostate cancer research, plans to raise $4 million during the month of June to help support the worldwide effort to find a cure.

This is the fifth consecutive year for the Safeway Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Fundraiser, which has raised more than $8.3 million for research and treatment of the disease. The funds will be donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the world's largest philanthropic supporter of prostate cancer research and facilitator of grants to more than 1,200 researchers at 100 institutions worldwide.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney and former Oakland A's players Dave Henderson and Carney Lansford will be on hand to sign autographs and help launch the campaign, as will Prostate Cancer Foundation founder Michael Milken.

The goal for this year's Safeway Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Fundraiser is $4 million, which all Safeway-operated stores in the United States will try to raise through customer and employee contributions, drawings, special product sales and community support. In 2004, when the goal was $3 million, Safeway's employees and customers helped raise $3.3 million.

"Prostate cancer is a significant health threat to men and has devastated many lives and many families," said Larree Renda, Safeway Executive Vice President. "One in six men will develop prostate cancer in the course of his lifetime. We want to do what we can to decrease that number and help find a cure. We believe a cure can be a reality, but only if everyone does his or her part."

During June Safeway provides customers with several opportunities to contribute to the cause. Shoppers can donate by purchasing a blue ribbon paper tag at check stands in Safeway stores. Stores are also selling blue "I'm helping cure prostate cancer" wristbands.

Safeway, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and singer Jeff Austin Black have partnered in June to offer a special CD of Austin Black's songs for $2, with all proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The CD, only available at Safeway stores in the U.S., includes three songs, all written by Austin Black. A fourth song can be downloaded on the www.prostatecancerfoundation.org web site.

Along with fundraising, Safeway will be sharing important facts about the disease with its customers. Throughout June, facts about prostate cancer and Safeway's campaign will be printed in the weekly sales circulars that are inserted in local newspapers or delivered directly to homes. A similar message can be seen on quart containers of Lucerne brand milk.

Safeway customers will hear facts about prostate cancer on the company's In-Store Network broadcast system.

Safeway pharmacies will sell a specially-priced self screening kit that tells men if they are at elevated risk. The Biosafe Prostate Screen is a self-collected laboratory analysis kit that measures a substance produced by the prostate gland called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Annual PSA testing is a safe and effective aid in the detection of prostate diseases, such as prostate cancer.

"In addition to raising funds, of equal importance is raising awareness to educate the public about the importance of early detection and reducing the risk factors for prostate cancer," said Renda.

About Safeway

Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 50 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America based on sales. The company operates 1,802 stores in the United States and Canada and had annual sales of $35.8 billion in 2004. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.
Contact:
Safeway Inc.
Brian Dowling, 925-467-3787
Teena Massingill, 925-467-3810

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