WEST SACRAMENTO, CA - In the spirit of giving back to the community for seventy-five years, for the first time Raley's put the public in the driver's seat for local giving.

Through Raley's Reach, nearly $40,000 was in the hands of the community as the public was called to action to determine where five $7,500 grants should go to improve their neighborhood. Nominations for service projects and causes were accepted on raleys.com under three categories – Improving the Lives of Children, Creating Healthy Communities and Celebrating the Arts – three areas Raley’s has long been known for supporting. After projects were posted during the nomination phase, voting opened to the public on raleys.com for three weeks to determine the top five causes.

“We were truly inspired in the way local communities banded together and rallied others around their cause – when we left the decision entirely up to the public, they accepted the challenge with great enthusiasm,” said Raley’s Marketing Manager, Jennifer Teel-Wolter. “Many of the entries for Raley’s Reach noted in their submissions the obstacles they face with limited funding or resources needed to put their cause into action, so we know that the opportunity came at a time when the community needed it most.”

After over 211,000 votes were cast on over 400 unique community efforts – ranging from new schoolyard equipment, funds for arts programs and more – five projects rose to the top with the most votes logged on raleys.com between April 21 and May 12, 2010.

The five projects are:

• Landscape & Yard Beautification, Aspire University Charter School, Modesto
• Mira Loma High School International Studies Service Exchange, Sacramento
• Playground Equipment, Boulder Creek Elementary School, Redding
• Pocket-Greenhaven Friends of the Library, Sacramento
• Visual & Performing Arts Venue, San Juan School District, Sacramento

To read a description of each project as posted by the public, click here.

Raley's is working in partnership with each winner on a special grant presentation to build awareness of how funds will serve the community.