University of Virginia Health System

FOOD LION DONATES $1 MILLION TO U.VA. HEALTH SYSTEM NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

The University of Virginia Health System Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has received a $1million gift from Food Lion, the Salisbury, N.C.-based grocery store chain.

Thanks to this gift, children and families who require the services of the NICU will soon have many of the comforts of home at the U.Va. hospital. Renovations are expected to begin in 2004 and will include a whole new range of family-friendly amenities to complement the state-of-the-art care from NICU physicians and staff.

Our NICU is recognized nationally and throughout the region for its high quality care, says R. Edward Howell, vice president and chief executive officer for the U.Va. Health System. We believe that supporting the needs of our families is critical to our mission and that's why the Food Lion gift is so important, particularly for this crucial area of pediatric care.

The gift, which will be announced live during the U.Va. Children's Medical Center Telethon airing on WVIR NBC 29 on June 1 through 2, will go toward an extensive $3.1 million renovation to the existing NICU facilities. The NICU will be renamed the Food Lion Newborn Intensive Care Unit. The current facilities offer the most advanced care for premature babies in the region. Outcomes for babies cared for in the U.Va. NICU rank among the best in the country.

Infants in the NICU may spend their early weeks of life in a very fragile state, hooked up to monitors and machines, said Dr. John Kattwinkel, director of the Division of Neonatology and the NICU. The new facilities will help family members and infants make the necessary social, psychological and emotional adjustments from hospital to home. We will expand our physical space by 20 percent to serve more families' needs, and include a counseling room, a dedicated nursing room, a resource library with computer access and a more comfortable and spacious waiting area. In addition, we will add a bedroom for families with private bath and kitchen where they can care for their infants in close proximity to medical assistance for several days before going home.

The average length of stay in the NICU is 24 days, with many babies staying much longer. Families will soon be able to use this time not just for healing, but for bonding with their baby because of this gift from Food Lion.

Food Lion has a commitment to children's health and an excellent, longstanding relationship with the Children's Miracle Network, said John Mercer, Food Lion vice president of retail services. We are excited to partner with the Children's Medical Center to provide this region with a NICU facility that is specifically designed to address families' needs during one of the most difficult times they will face. The support and devotion of Food Lion's 86,000 associates have made this gift possible.

Food Lion LLC., is a subsidiary of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG). Food Lion operates more than 1,210 stores in 11 southeast and mid-Atlantic states.

June 2, 2002