Local charities cash in with Raley’s supermarkets takeover

Monday, Oct. 4, 1999 | 11:57 a.m.

It's been like Christmas in the valley the past two weeks as local charities received their largest donations ever.

As Raley's supermarkets move into the former Albertson's grocery stores the company acquired last month, it is giving the purchased Albertson's food and grocery items to local nonprofits and charities.

Once the changeover is complete more than $2 million in food and grocery items will be distributed to food shelves in the valley, Carolyn White, Raley's spokeswoman, said.

Representatives from local charities are grateful.

"This is the largest donation we've received from any food chain in Las Vegas," Sumner Dodge, spokesman for the Salvation Army, said. "We received at least four semi (tractor-trailer) loads so far and we are expecting a lot more. That should last us well into the beginning of next year.

"And we were getting real low," he added. "We're always real low in September and October before the holiday food drive."

May through August the Salvation Army served 14,000 people, a record number, Dodge said. The number is up 20 percent from last year, he added.

The Henderson Salvation Army is receiving 100 pallets of food from the former Albertson's store on Boulder Highway and Lake Mead Drive. Military personnel from the Nevada National Guard are helping to transport the load, and the Guard is lending six metal storage units 8-by-8-by-20 feet to store nonperishables.

Catholic Charities also received a hefty supply. The group picked up 600,000 pounds of food, toiletries and other grocery items from three Raley's stores, Ralph Redmund, deputy director of residents at Catholic Charities, said.

"It was outstanding," he said. "It helps us get through the holiday and through the rest of the year."

Redmund said the charity that serves 1,500 homeless people daily opened its doors to 40 other nonprofits in the valley.

For some charities, the Raley's donation couldn't have come at a better time.

A lack of food caused the Jewish Family Service Agency to close its pantry for 10 days last month, according to the Jewish Reporter.

The shelves at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission were nearly empty last month, David Blacksmith, executive director at the mission, said. Blacksmith said the mission serves 300 to 500 people daily and provides food baskets to families in need.

While the donations are called a blessing, representatives from a number of charities say they will conduct the holiday food drives as usual and are still in need of donations.

Dodge said the Salvation Army is expecting to help 18,500 people at Christmas. The Raley's donation and the holiday food collection may save the Salvation Army from its "usual problem," a shortage at the end of May and June, he said.

"Last year on July 8, we ran completely out. We didn't have a single can on the shelf. We struggled all the rest of 1998."