Save-A-Lot food stores are helping change the future of diabetes by pledging $400,000 for the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) “Stop Diabetes” movement for 2010-2012. The St. Louis-based Supervalu subsidiary’s national sponsorship of the initiative will help raise awareness of a disease that’s reaching epidemic proportions, by offering educational health-and-wellness outreach to local communities served by the chain.

As nearly 8 percent of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with diabetes, that means that “[o]ne out of four Save-A-Lot shoppers has someone with diabetes in their household,” a number four times the national average, according to Save-A-Lot’s president and CEO, Bill Shaner. “We want to support our shoppers, associates and everyone who wants a cure,” he added.

Officials from the ADA commended the value-oriented discount grocery chain’s leadership role, which provides a significant opportunity to educate and promote health and wellness to its customers.

The banner, which operates nearly 1,200 stores in 39 states from Maine to California and serves more than 5 million shoppers weekly, is promoting the ADA initiative via the Save-A-Lot Web site, which also features more information on the cause and opportunities for visitors to help.