When customers roll in to Antioch’s new Food Maxx store, they know they’ll be paying low prices for their groceries. What they might not realize, however, is that the company they’re patronizing is also helping to make end-of-life dreams come true for area seniors.

The former Lucky store, located at 2950 Delta Fair Blvd., has been remodeled and re-opened as Food Maxx. At a recent ribbon-cutting event, store officials showed their commitment to the communities they serve by making a $500 donation to An Elderly Wish Foundation (AEWF), which provides final wishes to senior citizens throughout Contra Costa County.

AEWF Executive Director Mary Chapman appreciated not only the donation, but the recognition. “I felt honored because we were recognized as a local charity in Antioch,” Chapman said. “We were very gratified to know that people realize we are here. We want An Elderly Wish Foundation to be a household name.”

AEWF has granted more than 100 wishes to the terminally ill seniors of Contra Costa County. The wishes are granted to seniors 60 and older who have a doctor-certified condition that is life-threatening or terminal. The wishes can be as heart-wrenchingly simple as the desire to eat steak one more time or to arrange for a headstone for a deceased spouse, or they can be more complex and expensive, such as trips to see loved ones.

While wishes are granted to the recipients at no cost, the financial undertaking to make the wishes come true can be huge. When the wish involves several family members or expensive, cross-country travel, donations such as those of Food Maxx become a vital factor in AEWF’s work.

Headquartered in Modesto since its founding in 1952, Food Maxx’s parent company, Save Mart Supermarkets, has always believed in supporting local suppliers and producers, said Antioch Food Max Store Manager Vince Messina. The company keeps the focus on the community by actively supporting local charities and causes.