Kroger says it will hold a moment of silence at its 2,449 stores on Sept. 11, provide food to local first responders, invite customers to write messages of appreciation on cards and posters

Cindy Allen

CINCINNATI , August 30, 2011 (PRNewswire) – On the tenth anniversary of the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - News) will hold a moment of silence in all 2,449 supermarket stores nationwide.

Kroger associates in each of the company's 18 operating divisions will also thank the heroes in our local communities through a variety of in-store and community activities in September.

"To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we will invite our customers and associates to join together in a moment of silent reflection in all of our supermarkets," said Dave Dillon, chairman and CEO of Kroger. "We also heard from many associates that they wanted to recognize the heroes in their communities during this time of national remembrance. Many of our stores will also say 'thank you' to our everyday heroes – the men and women who keep our families, communities and stores safe – through a variety of activities this September."

On Sunday, September 11, 2011, Kroger stores located in the Eastern Time zone will pause for a moment of silence to remember the victims and honor the heroes of the 9/11 tragedy at 8:46 a.m., the time when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the World Trade Center's north tower ten years ago. Because of the time difference, Kroger's family of stores in Central, Mountain and Western Time zones will pause for a moment of quiet remembrance at a locally-designated time on Sunday morning.

Many stores throughout the country will also express Kroger's gratitude to our everyday heroes through activities such as:

Preparing and delivering lunches, food trays, sheet cakes or gift baskets to local first responders, such as fire departments, police departments and paramedics.
Inviting customers to write personal messages on oversized cards or posters displayed in stores thanking military and emergency services personnel for their service.
Encouraging associate donations to the USO.
Inviting customers to thank their everyday heroes on Kroger and banner Facebook pages.
Hosting commemorative events and "Honoring Our Heroes" celebrations for emergency services personnel and members of the active military.


Kroger, the nation's largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 338,000 associates who serve customers in 2,449 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 785 convenience stores, 359 fine jewelry stores, 1,035 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, health and wellness initiatives, and local organizations in the communities it serves. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com.

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