FULLERTON, Calif. (Map) - FULLERTON, Calif., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Albertsons, a SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU) company, announced today that they will be providing up to one million dollars to support the athletic dreams of our country's current and future athletes this summer. As part of the STEP BEYOND Gold(TM) program, Albertsons has identified four elite women's athletic teams -- USA Women's National Water Polo, USA Softball Women's National Team, U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and USA Women's National Volleyball Team -- to receive funding support. A portion of the funds raised will also support Southern California and Southern Nevada future athletes by providing access to physical activity opportunities through youth organizations including The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation, HOPSports, LA Galaxy Foundation and KaBOOM!.

Between May 7 and August 24, 2008, every time an Albertsons shopper uses their Preferred Savings Card, Albertsons will donate a portion of their purchase to these teams and children's charities, up to one million dollars. And if the customer purchases a product from Albertsons' new organic and natural line, Wild Harvest, Albertsons will double that donation. Albertsons created the STEP BEYOND Gold(TM) program as a way to engage its customers in the excitement of the upcoming summer games and enable them to be able to directly support the country's top female athletes and our athletes of tomorrow. Albertsons customers also win by receiving a 5% Savings Award every time they accumulate $250 in spending with their Preferred Savings Card, through July 4.

"The Albertsons STEP BEYOND Gold(TM) program provides an opportunity for our customers to be a participant, a fan and a winner of the summer games," said Sue Klug, president, Albertsons Southern California division. "It is our hope that our customers will watch these elite athletes together with their families, and know that they helped these athletes on their way to fulfilling their dreams."

As a key part of this program, Albertsons is partnering with national youth organizations -- The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation, HOPSports, LA Galaxy Foundation and KaBOOM! -- to provide children with access to play and athletic endeavors. As a company committed to health, wellness and nutrition, Albertsons believes that it is important for children to be encouraged to make healthy choices from a young age to enable them to lead healthy lives.

"Through the STEP BEYOND Gold(TM) program, our customers are able to support the highest levels of athletic achievement, as well as active lifestyles for our children," said Klug. "U.S. researchers recently found that inactivity in childhood leads to a five-to-six times increased risk of heart disease emerging as early as adolescence. This statistic is alarming. Albertsons wants to continue to be part of the solution by offering our customers programs that encourage healthier life decisions."

Camp for Kids

Aimed at introducing children to new sports and experiences, the Camps offer invited disadvantaged children the opportunity to learn new skills and dream big. In addition to learning about fitness, children also learn how to keep their bodies healthy through proper nutrition. Albertsons and Valero are supporting three camps on June 18, July 11 and August 18. These camps are hosted by The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation and LA Galaxy Foundation at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

HOPSports

Albertsons is offering schools in Southern California and Southern Nevada the opportunity to win one of four HOPSports Training Systems (http://hopsports.com), which show children that physical activity is fun, and provides physical education teachers with new ways to engage their students. This system delivers 21st century physical education through its unique multi-media, standards-compliant physical education system that merges media with technology! From May 7 - June 13, teachers, students and families can sign up to win one of the systems through the STEP BEYOND Gold(TM) website (http://www.stepbeyondgold.com). The Training Systems will be delivered to schools in September 2008.

KaBOOM!

By helping children develop a healthy foundation, they have a greater opportunity to grow into healthier adults. To complement its leadership in educating children about healthy eating, Albertsons has partnered with KaBOOM! to support children's access to play. A national nonprofit, KaBOOM! has created playspaces for thousands of children across the country. Together, Albertsons and KaBOOM! will provide three more children's organizations in the Southern California and Southern Nevada region with a safe place to play.

For more information about the STEP BEYOND Gold(TM) program, check out http://www.stepbeyondgold.com.

About Albertsons

Albertsons was founded in 1939 and currently operates 536 Albertsons and Lucky supermarkets in Idaho, Montana, Southern California, Southern Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming from their headquarters in Fullerton, Calif. The company is part of the SUPERVALU family of companies, one of the largest companies in the United States grocery channel with estimated annual sales of approximately $44 billion. SUPERVALU holds leading market share positions across the U.S. with its approximately 2,450 retail grocery locations and more than 900 in-store pharmacies. Through SUPERVALU's nationwide supply chain network, the company provides distribution and related logistics support services to more than 5,000 grocery endpoints across the country. SUPERVALU currently has approximately 190,000 employees. For more information about Albertsons, please visit our website at http://www.albertsons.com or for SUPERVALU, please visit http://www.supervalu.com

About U.S. Women's National Soccer Team

During the past 20 years, the U.S. Women's National Team has been one of the most successful soccer teams in the world, winning two FIFA Women's World Cup championships (1991 and 1999) and two Olympic Gold Medals (1996 and 2004). This summer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the U.S. WNT will attempt to defend their Gold Medal and reestablish their dominance at the international level. Led by head coach Pia Sundhage, who will guide a mix of extremely experienced leaders and an influx of fresh young talent, the U.S. is looking forward to what could be one of the most spectacular Olympic Games in history.

About USA Softball Women's National Team

USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men's, Women's, Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of the only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won eight World Championship titles including the last six consecutive as well as claimed two World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com/.

About U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team

The U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team qualified for the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with a bronze medal finish at the 2007 FIVB World Cup. The team, which has 10 Olympians among a squad of approximately two dozen athletes training to earn a spot in the Beijing Olympics, is coached by world-renowned player and coach "Jenny" Lang Ping, who will be the only female head coach leading a squad at the 2008 Olympic Games held in her hometown. In final preparations for the Olympic Games, Team USA will play in the Pan American Cup, three exhibition matches in Colorado Springs against world top-ranked Brazil and the month-long FIVB World Grand Prix in various Asian and European cities.

About USA Volleyball

USA Volleyball (USAV) is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of volleyball in the United States and is recognized as such by the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The vision of USA Volleyball is to be acknowledged as the world leader in volleyball. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game.

About USA Water Polo

USA Water Polo, Inc. is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 different championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters Championships. With more than 30,000 members, USAWP is also the sanctioning authority for more than 400 tournaments nationwide. USAWP is committed to the development of the sport nationwide. It fosters grass-roots expansion of the sport, providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches and officials.

About The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation

The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established to provide financial and in-kind support for educational, arts, recreational and social service programs which improve the lives of young people in the Greater Southern California region. The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation has given more than $500,000 to youth organizations since The Home Depot Center opened in 2003. For more information, please visit http://www.homedepotcenter.com.

About HOPSports, Inc.

HOPSports is a multi-media classroom lesson plan for physical education instructors. It is the first virtual textbook that integrates lesson planning, lessons and standards-compliant assessment in an easily delivered, easy-to-use, touch-of-a-button format. The HOPSports Training System is delivered with a turn-key media cart using Media Center technology. The multi-screen format delivers content to students consistent with the contemporary student's ability to multi-task and digest information while enjoying exciting, cutting-edge fitness programs. The lessons include nutrition advisories, fun facts, anatomy instruction, career counseling, and educational messaging from such exciting talent as NFL players Herschel Walker, Josh Brown, Chris Draft and Allen Rossum. Olympians Buddy Lee, Annett Davis and Nicole Giordono, Sensei Guillermo Gomez, aerobics instructor Jenny Blake, Boot Camp instructor Cheryl Broughton and a host of others expand the virtual library to find a physical activity that appeals to every student. For more visit HOPSports at http://www.hopsports.com.

About LA Galaxy Foundation

The Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to assisting the community in which we live and work. The Galaxy Foundation strives to support and create educational, health and recreational activities and programs for children, with a specific focus on aiding disadvantaged and at-risk youth. Through fundraisers, programming and partnerships with committed organizations, the Galaxy Foundation is working to improve the lives of youth and make a positive impact in the community.

About KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is a national non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Since 1995, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct more than 1,400 new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including an online community, regional and national trainings, grants, publications and the KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play, which includes Playful City USA and the Playmaker Network -- a national network of individual advocates for play. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago and San Mateo, Calif. For more information, visit http://www.kaboom.org.