Blue and Gold, Inc. Receives Grant of $1,000 from the Fred Meyer Foundation

Blue and Gold, Inc. treasurer, Lori White(center) accepts a $1000 check from Kim Shanahan, representing Fred Meyer Foundation. Also pictured are Craig Ledbetter(left), EHS Principal Pat Sullivan(second from right) and EHS Athletic Director and Blue and Gold, Inc. Liaison Jo Metzger-Levin.

Blue & Gold, Inc. was formed in 1980 by a group of concerned parents, alumni, Everett High School teachers and administrators, as well as community leaders.

"The Fred Meyer Foundation was particularly impressed by the successful track record of Blue and Gold and its programs," Mary Loftin, vice president of public affairs for Fred Meyer and executive director of The Fred Meyer Foundation, said. "We hope this community grant will help the Blue and Gold club continue the important work it is doing to enrich the health of the community. We are proud to be part of the Everett community and are committed to helping where we can. Social responsibility and community involvement are company priorities established by our founder, Fred G. Meyer. Mr. Meyer said, ‘To be a good neighbor, you must strive to be a good neighbor in all ways.’ Financial support of nonprofit organizations is just one of the ways Fred Meyer upholds this tradition."

The Foundation’s community grant program is driven by 29 local Advisory Committees made up of local Fred Meyer employees who research nonprofit organizations in their communities and then award community grants.

"These grants are the result of true community efforts involving both our employees through out annual Employee Giving Campaign and our customers through the contributions they make in our stores using the Make Change Count coin boxes and scan cards at the checkstands. The dollars collected through these employee and store efforts are combined and then allocated by the Advisory Committees as community grants in the four western states where we have stores," Loftin said.

The Fred Meyer Foundation assists nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping children and reducing hunger in communities served by 129 Fred Meyer stores in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Fred Meyer is a division of The Kroger Co., which is one of the nations largest food retailers. The Fred Meyer Foundation has awarded grants totaling approximately $4.5 million since it began in December, 1998. For more information call 1-800-858-9202, ext. 5606.