With the majority of its charitable giving targeted at local communities, Kroger's Food 4 Less/Foods Co announced that it donated more than $4 million to various non-profit organization in its marketing areas in California and Chicago as well as 4.6 million pounds of fresh food to its Feeding America partner agencies in 2015.

"It is our goal to look for ways we can help improve the local communities where our Food 4 Less/Foods Co associates and customers live and work," Bryan Kaltenbach, president of Food 4 Less/Foods Co, said in a press release. "Key to our giving efforts are our great associates, who bring us many of our grant recommendations and, in turn, volunteer their time to make a difference in the community."

Food 4 Less/Foods Co operates 95 Food 4 Less stores in Southern California, 14 Food 4 Less stores in the greater Chicago area and 22 Foods Co stores in Central California and Northern California.

The company's philanthropic efforts last year — which included donations made by Food 4 Less/Foods Co, The Food 4 Less/Foods Co charitable foundation, associates and through in-store fundraising — provided much-needed financial support to hundreds of local schools, hunger relief agencies and non-profit organizations in California and Chicago-area communities where the company operates stores.

A snapshot of Food 4 Less/Foods Co's 2015 giving efforts includes:

• Hunger relief - More than $300,000 and over 4.6 million pounds of fresh product were donated to local Feeding America-affiliated hunger organizations.
• Fundraising for schools and local organizations – Food 4 Less/Foods Co donated more than $340,000 to local schools and charitable organizations through its Community Rewards Program, which provides Food 4 Less/Foods Co customers with the opportunity to have a percentage of their purchases donated to the non-profit of their choice. 
• Breast Cancer Research - More than $230,000 was contributed to local breast cancer awareness and treatment programs.
• Children's Hospitals – Food 4 Less/Foods Co supported provided financial support to nine children's hospitals in California and Chicago.
• Military Veterans Organizations – Proudly supporting the USO throughout California and the greater Chicago area.

In addition, Food 4 Less/Foods Co associates donated more than 2,500 volunteer hours in 2015.