Smith's Combined Contributions to Hospital Now Total $1.5 million

    SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith's Food & Drug Stores
announced today that the company raised $145,000 in partnership with valued
suppliers through Smith's first annual "Primary Focus Golf Tournament" held
July 31st at the Homestead Resort.  All money raised will be donated to
Primary Children's Medical Center for children whose families are unable to
pay for critical care required as a result of catastrophic injury or illness.
    Since 1992, Smith's has conducted annual in-store fundraising events
involving customers, employees and suppliers.  The additional revenue from the
golf tournament brings the total of Smith's donations to the hospital to
$1.5 million.
    "Many of our customers, not only in Utah but in our other six states of
operation, have looked to this wonderful children's hospital in times of
crisis," said Jim Hallsey, Smith's president.  "We appreciate the support
Smith's received from our generous suppliers so that many children in need of
critical medical care may be helped."
    "We are grateful to Smith's Food & Drug for the ongoing support they give
to children at Primary Children's Medical Center," said Joe Horton, hospital
chief executive officer.  "Not enough good can be said for a company and its
partners who go beyond selling product and meeting volume quotas to caring
about their customers by giving the future to their children."
    Ranked among the top ten children's hospitals in the nation, Primary
Children's Medical Center is the only full-service pediatric hospital between
Denver and the west coast, serving the most critically ill and injured
children throughout the intermountain area.  Since its inception in 1922, the
hospital has provided medical care to children regardless of race, religion,
or ability to pay.  Physicians and staff contribute their time and expertise
to charity cases in order to maximize contributed dollars and to serve as many
children as possible.  As a result, in 2002 Primary Children's expended more
than $9.3 million to cover over 17,000 hospital visits made by children whose
families were unable to pay.
    Smith's is a division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's
largest grocery retailers.  Smith's currently operates 126 stores in seven
western states, including 44 stores in Utah from its division headquarters in
Salt Lake City, Utah.

Link to this page: