Tops Markets pledges $1 million to Women & Children’s Hospital

Web Exclusive, September 14, 2006

Photo (L to R): Edward F. Walsh, chairman of the board of directors for Kaleida Health; Cheryl Klass, RN, MBA, president of WCHOB; Cash Cunningham, chairman of the board of directors for the WCHOB Foundation; Dr. James Foster, chief medical officer of WCHOB; and patients Christian Showers and Kedarie Booze.

Max Henderson Jr., executive vice president and general manager of Tops Markets, announced a four-year, $1 million pledge by Tops to renovate the Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery Center at Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

"Tops has a long history of supporting the extraordinary efforts of Women & Children's Hospital and we're excited to be able to provide a more comfortable, family-centered environment for future surgical excellence,” said Henderson. "It is due in part to the overwhelming generosity of both time and monetary contributions of our customers, associates and vendors, we are able to make this four-year $1 million pledge for Women & Children's Hospital to continue assisting children throughout the Western New York community for many more years to come."

The new Tops Markets Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery Center at Women & Children’s Hospital provides comprehensive pre- and post-operative surgical care for more than 11,000 children annually. These pediatric patients are admitted on the morning of surgery due to a wide range conditions and begin to prepare for discharge immediately following their procedure.

Funds pledged by Tops Markets will be used to renovate the current pediatric ambulatory surgery center, which houses the registration area and patient rooms. The family waiting area will also be modernized and redecorated to create a more comfortable and efficient area where families can go to gather information, refreshment and wait for their child while in surgery.

“We’re very happy to continue our on-going partnership with Tops Markets, an outstanding corporate citizen with a long history of philanthropic support for Women & Children’s Hospital,” said Cheryl Klass, RN, MBA, president of Women & Children’s Hospital. “Once again this support from Tops will ensure that every child and their family receive the very best health care in an environment designed to meet their special needs.”

As a corporate sponsor of Children’s Miracle Network beginning in 2004, TOPS has committed itself and its employees in support of each of the CMN affiliated hospitals throughout its marketing area including Women & Children’s Hospital in Western New York. As a result, one hundred percent of funds raised locally by Tops from their Our Kids Golf Outing and the in-store CMN balloons collections, are donated to Women & Children’s Hospital, including $220,000 so far this year alone.

Children’s Miracle Network is the alliance of premier children’s hospitals in North America and serves its hospitals by raising funds through corporate partners and events to support life-saving equipment, charity care and research.

Tops Markets, headquartered in Williamsville, is one of four retail-operating companies under Ahold USA and is a division of Giant Food Stores in Carlisle, Pa. Tops currently operates 119 Tops Markets and four Martin's Super Food Stores. With nearly 16,000 associates, Tops serves a three state market area. For more information about Tops Markets or Martin's Super Food Stores, visit the companies' Web sites at www.Topsmarkets.com or www.martinssuperfood.com.