Kroger-USO Race Car Honors Kroger Associates who are Service Members
CINCINNATI, Ohio (January 25, 2012) – – The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) will have major presence during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, returning as primary sponsor of JTG Daugherty Racing’s No. 47 Toyota Camry with 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte.
“We are pleased to have Kroger helping us kick off our season at Daytona again,” Labonte said. “They are a great partner of JTG Daugherty Racing. They enjoyed the race last year and we were in the hunt for the win. We were able to stay out of trouble to be in contention on the final lap. If we can be that fortunate this year and put ourselves in position again, anything can happen.”
Once again, the Kroger car will carry the USO logo in The Great American Race on Sunday, February 26. In 2011, the Kroger family of stores expanded its partnership with the USO through Honoring Our Heroes, a year-long campaign to support members of the armed forces and their families. With the help of customers, associates and key partners, the program generated $1.5 million to assist the USO’s programs to support troops and families. Kroger will present these funds to the USO during the pre-race ceremonies at the Daytona 500.
This company-wide campaign with the USO will continue in 2012. The USO is the nation’s leading organization providing morale-boosting programs and services to enhance the quality of life for troops and their families around the world.
“Kroger really does a nice job with the USO program,” Labonte said. “They are donating over one million dollars to the USO. That’s amazing.”
Kroger and JTG Daugherty Racing also will thank the hundreds of Kroger associates from across the country, who are active duty and reservist members of our armed forces. They are paying special tribute by placing the names of these men and women on the hood of the car for the Daytona 500.
For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com.
To learn how you can help the USO in its mission to serve our service men and women – Until Every One Comes
Home ® – please visit www.uso.org.
About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.
The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and other corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners: American Airlines, AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission and to learn more about the USO, please visit www.uso.org.
About Kroger
Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 338,000 associates who serve customers in 2,439 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s. The company also operates 796 convenience stores, 363 fine jewelry stores, 1,067 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger was recognized by Forbes as the most generous company in the U.S. The company focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, breast cancer awareness, the military and their families, and more than 30,000 schools and grassroots organizations in the communities it serves. Kroger contributes food and funds equal to 125 million meals a year through its partnership with more than 80 Feeding America food banks. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com.
