Safeway has formed a fund to aid the victims of Saturday's mass shooting in Tucson. The company launched the fund with an initial contribution of $100,000 from the Safeway Foundation.
Safeway gave no details on how the fund will be used or administered.
"This opening contribution will be bolstered by in-store contributions from Safeway customers and community members in the company's Arizona stores," Safeway said in a news release Thursday.
Donation canisters have been placed at check stands in the company's 116 Arizona stores.
"We have felt the shock and the sadness, and with our neighbors, we have felt this community come together to heal and to reach out to the victims and their families," Dan Valenzuela, Safeway's division president for Arizona, said in the news release.
"The fund is an extension of what we - and everyone in Tucson - have done from the very beginning. As a community, we have tried to find ways to help where we can and to stand together," Valenzuela said.
The Safeway Tucson store at West Ina and North Oracle roads was the scene of the tragic event. The store remains closed as law-enforcement officials continue their investigation.
"During the closure, Safeway has focused its efforts on attending to the needs of its employees, many of whom came to the aid of victims and put the safety of customers above all other considerations," the company's news release said.
Contributions can be made at any Arizona Safeway store or by mail to the Safeway Foundation, Safeway Arizona Division, 2750 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282.
Checks should be made payable to the "Safeway Foundation Tucson Victims Fund."
