Operation Homefront Pacific Northwest today accepted a donation of $131,378 from Portland-based Fred Meyer Inc. The retail supermarket company’s donation stems from $61,160 from its regional store-based coin boxes and from $70,218 in donations from its associates located in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization that helps the families of service members, veterans and wounded warriors by offering emergency and other financial assistance, caregiver support initiatives, back-to-school supplies, and programs that provide short-term transitional housing and mortgage-free homes.

“Fred Meyer generously sponsors programs and events that strengthen communities,” Operation Homefront Western Region Director Kari McClellan said. “Consistent with its commitment to America’s heroes, Fred Meyer helps Operation Homefront to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that those families may thrive in the communities that the service members protect. The staff and volunteers of Operation Homefront commend Fred Meyer for being a good neighbor to the men and women who serve in the U.S. armed forces and to their families.”

The retail supermarket company has donated $756,911.77 since 2010 to Operation Homefront.

“While dropping a nickel or dime in the coin box from time to time may not seem like much, those small donations really do add up,” said Melinda Merrill, public affairs director for Fred Meyer Stores. “We have so many generous customers and employees dedicated to military family support in their communities and we’re grateful to all of those that donated their hard-earned money to the Fred Meyer Fund and Operation Homefront.”