Thanks for helping us raise more than $18,000 for the A Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health annual checkstand campaign!

At Safeway, we’re driven by our purpose of being a family nurturing families and we were excited to bring the annual checkstand campaign to life in our stores.

From September 16 – 30, Canadians generously donated to the A Family of Support: Child & Youth Mental Health second annual checkstand campaign at all of our Sobeys Inc. banner stores. Our goal with the fundraising campaign was to come together with our teammates, partners and customers to continue advocating for children’s hospitals.

We’re proud to share that our Ontario Safeway teammates and customers came together to raise more than $18,000. What an incredible accomplishment!

In total, $2,285,454 was raised across all of Sobeys Inc. banners from coast-to-coast. Sobeys Inc. also matched all customer donations on September 25-26 to a maximum of $150,000. When added together, that equals $2.4 million! 100% of the funds raised will be donated to 13 children’s hospitals in Canada and will go towards the A Family of Support initiative. These donations will play an important role in helping each hospital implement specialized mental health programs for children and youth.

A huge thank you to our Ontario Safeway store teams who are essential to bringing this important cause to life in our stores. You are making a real difference in the lives of Canadian families and our friends at the children’s hospital foundations are grateful for the support and efforts to make this initiative a reality.

Be sure to watch this thank you video from our foundation partners and Sobeys teams!

Want a shot at winning a CFL prize pack, and seeing the Grey Cup Trophy up, close and personal?

The CFL playoffs are back, and our Safeway teammates and customers alike are eager to make up for the season they missed.

This CFL season, customers will have the chance to win 1 of 2 ultimate homegating packages or daily prizes of CFL Team Merchandise. But we can’t encourage our customers to “Go BIG, at Home” without helping our Safeway store teammates get in on the action, too!

With many Safeway teammates supporting their favourite teams this year, we’re building on the excitement with a one-of-a-kind store teammate contest that launches today — and participating is easy!

Between October 18 – November 5, snap a photo of yourself and your friends or family going BIG at Home to show off your CFL pride. Then, post the photo in Safeway’s closed employee Facebook group using #myCFLfamily. Make sure to include your store number, too!

What’s up for grabs? 15 teammates will be randomly selected to win 1 of 15 CFL prize packs, valued at $500. From the 15 randomly selected winners, ONE teammate will be chosen to win a Grey Cup Trophy visit to their store, ahead of the ’23 CFL season kick-off. How exciting?!

For more information, speak with your Store Manager.

We hope you’ll join us as we go BIG to celebrate our CFL partnership. We can’t wait to see your photos!

We’re the Official Grocer of the Canadian Paralympic Committee!

Just off the heels of our first-ever games as the Official Grocer of Team Canada, supporting the Canadian Olympic Committee, we’re excited to keep the Olympic momentum going. Our Safeway store teammates played a critical role in our Tokyo campaign, and we heard your feedback that our support should extend to Paralympians too. We were really inspired by your strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we couldn’t agree more!

In honour of Disability Employment Awareness Month, we are proud to announce our continued commitment to Canadian athletes through a first-ever partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Safeway, Sobeys, IGA, Les Marchés Tradition, Marché Bonichoix, Rachelle Béry, Foodland, Thrifty Foods and Voilà will be recognized as the Official Grocer of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

As part of this partnership, we’ll provide grocery cards to qualified Paralympic athletes to redeem for nutritious food at our banners, including Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and Thrifty Foods helping to fuel their rigorous training and preparation leading up to the Beijing Games.

We’ve also selected a diverse group of Paralympic athletes, representative of the communities we serve coast-to-coast, to act as brand ambassadors as part of Team Empire. These athletes include:

  • Mark Arendz, Para-Nordic Skiing – Hartsville, PEI
  • Mollie Jepsen, Para-Alpine Skiing – Vancouver, BC
  • Frédérique Turgeon, Para-Alpine Skiing – Montreal, QC

Beginning in 2022, Canadians and teammates alike can join in and support Canadian Paralympic athletes through our robust, multi-channel marketing campaign ahead of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This means that both Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be part of our Feed The Dream campaign, celebrating our partnerships with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees.

There’s only four months until the Beijing Winter Games, and we couldn’t be any more excited to officially expand Team Empire!

Happy Thanksgiving, Safeway!

Hi Team,

As we head into the Thanksgiving long weekend, there’s never been a more important time to express my gratitude for each and every one of YOU!

I know our stores will be buzzing with excitement as our customers pick up everything needed to create their holiday meal — and you’ll be right there to make their shopping experience exceptional!

Thank you for showing up every day with a positive attitude.

Thank you for your willingness to go above and beyond to serve our customers.

Thank you for supporting one another to be the best you can be.

And thank you for all of your efforts and hard work that help our Safeway family succeed.

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with happy moments.

Warm regards,

Julie Sue Wood, Vice President Operations, SMO

Ontario Safeway teammates step up to donate more than $16,000 in support of children’s health

For Safeway teammates, giving back to the causes close to home has always been second nature. In fact, its been more than a decade that teammates have proudly participated in the Safeway payroll donation program.

A few dollars from each paycheque truly go a long way in supporting the organizations that make a tangible difference in the lives of Ontario families. This is especially true for those who receive care at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences.

In 2020, our Ontario teammates donated more than $10,000 to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation through the payroll donation program. Your contribution will be used to create a calming room in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit. This critically important space will project soothing imagery on the walls to help children feel calm when they’re experiencing mental health distress.

Ontario teammates also donated more than $2,700 through the payroll donation program to the Children’s Centre Foundation in support of the Occupational Therapy program at Children’s Centre Thunder Bay. Children dealing with mental health issues will directly benefit from your meaningful contribution as they’ll receive the support needed to live happy and healthy lives. This includes therapy on how to deal with the stresses of school and home life, and the provision of tools and resources to help manage symptoms.

Lastly, but certainly not least, you collectively donated more than $2,700 to the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre Foundation. Through the support of Ontario Teammates, the Feeding and Swallowing Clinic at the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre will be able to hire a much-needed Registered Dietician for seven hours per month. The Registered Dietician will be a welcomed addition to the Clinic’s team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers, who work together to help children with physical development and/or sensory issues eat healthy and safely.

Thank you, Ontario Safeway teammates, for your passion to serve your communities and help those most vulnerable when they need it most. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed! By working together, we can truly make a difference for families across our province.

Help us celebrate the second annual checkstand campaign for the A Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health Initiative

At Safeway, we’re driven by our purpose of being a family nurturing families and we’re excited to bring this to life with a very special campaign in our stores.

In partnership with the Sobey Foundation and Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF), we’re proud to kick off the second annual checkstand campaign in support of the A Family of Support: Child & Youth Mental Health Initiative. Our goal is to come together with our teammates, partners and customers to continue advocating for children and youth with mental health challenges.

About the campaign

From September 16 – 30, Canadians from coast-to-coast will have the opportunity to donate $2.00 (or more!) when checking out at Safeway and any Sobeys Inc. banner stores.

100 per cent of the funds raised will be donated to support the A Family of Support initiative and are directed through 15 regional programs across 13 children’s hospitals in Canada. This means that the funds raised in each community, stay in the community, and support children and youth close to home. The donation proceeds will play an important role in helping each hospital implement specialized mental health programs for their children and youth.

A huge thank you to our frontline teammates who are essential to bringing this important cause to life in our stores. By inviting customers to support their local children’s hospital, our cashiers are truly our checkstand champions and we couldn’t do it without them!

Last year’s checkstand campaign was a huge success, raising over 2 million in stores, and we can’t wait to build on this for 2021! Thank you for your continued support and for your ongoing commitment to help create healthier tomorrows for more kids and families in your community!

Resources

  • Learn more about our family of support at afamilyofsupport.com.
  • Your wellbeing, and the wellbeing of your family, is so important to us. Visit sobeysmentalwellbeing.com for more information to support your mental wellbeing and wellness needs.

Three new FreshCo locations in Alberta announced

As part of Sobeys Inc.’s plan to win market share and grow our business in Western Canada, we are announcing three new FreshCo locations in Alberta.

Closing for renovation August 28, 2021 and re-opening as FreshCo in Winter 2021/2022

  • Safeway Downtown Fort McMurray, Fort McMurray, AB

Closing for renovation October 2, 2021 and re-opening as FreshCo in Spring 2022

  • Safeway Jasper Gates, Edmonton, AB
  • Sobeys Lewis Estates, Edmonton, AB

The Pharmacy Departments will remain open during the remodel and banner conversion and the fuel station in Fort McMurray will convert to a Fast Fuel and the kiosk to a Needs. The location will remain open and continue to operate during the construction process to ensure there is no disruption in service.

Our full-service grocery stores are an important part of our customer offer and a valued part of our business. By expanding our store network to include full-service Safeway stores, as well as additional discount FreshCo stores, we are better equipped to win market share by having customers shop with our company rather than discount competitors.

We will be working closely with impacted teammates and the respective unions in the coming weeks to ensure the terms of their collective agreements are met and to provide support through this transition.

We are sincerely grateful for our teammates’ commitment and dedicated service to Safeway.

Stay up-to-date at SafewayTalks.ca.

Holiday Heroes – How our Safeway Teammates spread holiday cheer

We know our Safeway teammates always show up for their communities. Whether it be through donations, time, or serving their communities throughout COVID-19, they always give back.

Here are a few stories showing how our teammates spread holiday cheer within their communities this holiday season.

Earlier this month, a person experiencing homelessness entered Gerald’s store (4821 – River East Safeway) to warm up and rest. During this time of year, the weather conditions in Manitoba are harsh and with a province-wide lockdown instilled, the only places that are open are essential services.

The individual was spotted by teammates taking off some layers so that they could warm up. They didn’t have a coat, and instead were using blankets to cover themselves and instead of socks they had gloves on their feet.

Gerald was called over by his teammates to assist with escorting the individual out of the store when it became apparent that they weren’t there to shop. When Gerald arrived, he realized that they needed help and attention.

Debbie, a Safeway teammate, went and bought the individual a sandwich, and Gerald bought them water. He made space for them out of the way and at a safe distance from other customers so that they could eat and warm up. After realizing that this individual didn’t have proper socks or gloves, Gerald took it upon himself to purchase both for them. A customer in the store realized that this individual didn’t have a coat and ran out to his truck to get a used one to donate to them. The individual was very pleased to now have a coat and proper socks and gloves rather than wearing blankets.

Gerald was very affected by this interaction and was emotional after they had left the store – he hoped that he had made them a little more comfortable that evening given their circumstances. As a leader, Gerald demonstrated to his team how to look past the stigmas of homelessness and how to make a difference for someone in the community. A customer was so moved by this act of kindness that they wrote into the local paper to detail the events and give Gerald his much-deserved recognition.

Over in Calgary, Tanya from Aspen Safeway spread holiday cheer to seniors in long-term care facilities. During it’s first year, Tanya’s Cards of Kindness Campaign gathered 1112 holiday cards from co-workers, customers and the community that she and her daughter distributed to seniors for the holidays. Through the help of her community, Tanya was able to bring 1112 smiles to seniors across Calgary this holiday season.

In Calgary, two of our Safeway teammates, Tammy and Laura were recognized by the Cliff Bungalow Association for their contribution to helping those in need in their community. Both Tammy and Laura received the Toole Peet Community Hero Award for their continuous contributions to their community.

Throughout this challenging year, you have continuously shown up for your local communities and shown true compassion and dedication. No gesture is too small or goes unnoticed. Your local communities thank you for your hard work and dedication especially throughout this holiday season! A huge thank you to all our Safeway teammates for their recent sales of Food Bank hampers and fundraising for the Food Bank.

A day to remember our Canadian Heroes

Team,

Today is an important day for Canadians across the country, and a particularly significant day for us as a team with such deep Canadian roots.

On November 11, we pay respect to our Canadian Heroes, both past and present, who have fought for our country. While their courage and heart inspire us every day, I encourage you to take a moment today to pause and reflect on the bravery of those who have served – and continue to serve – Canada during times of conflict.

Let us never forget the men and women who have sacrificed for our country, and let us continue to honour our Canadian heroes who defend our values and freedoms today.

We thank our Safeway teammates who have served or are still serving our country, and those with friends and family that may still be doing so. We will wear our poppies with pride today to honour you.

We will read the following script over the PA system in our stores at 11:00 am this morning to observe a moment of silence:

“Good morning shoppers.  As we all stand here in peace and safety, we pay our respects to all of the fallen, all of the wounded and all who served in conflict for more than 100 years. Today, we remember those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought, and died, for our freedom. We thank you, and salute those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We will never forget. We will remember you.

Today and always, #CanadaRemembers.

 

Kind Regards,

Julie Sue Wood

Vice President, Operations – Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario

Fill your prescription in our pharmacies and save more!

With cough, cold and flu season right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of the best and most cost-effective way to get the healthcare products and services for you and your family.

Fill your prescriptions in our pharmacies and save more!
Safeway provides industry-leading benefits to our teammates. By visiting our banner stores for your healthcare needs, you can take advantage of our competitive prices –and in many cases, higher percentages of reimbursement depending on the benefit plan in which you participate.  

And while you’re getting your prescription filled, pick up your groceries and take advantage of our upcoming Employee Discount to be announced soon. It’s a one-stop shop for all your savings!

Not an existing patient at our pharmacies? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Transferring your prescriptions is easy! Just call any of our pharmacy teams and we will get it done for you.

A variety of healthcare services
From blood pressure screening to baby wellness, to flu vaccines, and more, our pharmacy team is committed to providing personalized care and quality service. We also offer patient education programs and work closely with in-store Dietitians (where available) to help patients achieve their health goals.

We’re always ready to help you with your healthcare needs, including:

  • Automatic prescription refills
  • Custom pill packaging (to easily remember what to take and when)
  • Private consultations and medication reviews
  • Easy prescription transfers1
  • Prescription renewals and other prescribing services1
  • Home delivery if you are unable to come into the store
  • All with your wellness and privacy in mind2

Start shopping in your pharmacies and save more!  To find your convenient pharmacy banner location and to learn more about our services, visit www.pharmacynearestyou.ca.

1Prescribing and prescription transfer services are subject to provincial regulations.
2All pharmacies are required by law to protect personal and health information.