Food Banks to Benefit from Annual Food for Friends Program

QUINCY, Mass., Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Stop & Shop customers raised the bar this year donating more than $1.2 million through the company's annual Food for Friends program, nearly a $40,000 increase over last year. Paired with a corporate match, Stop & Shop will donate more than $1.4 million to local and regional food banks in part of the company's hunger relief efforts.

The storewide effort kicked-off Oct. 30, 2009 and ran through Dec. 3, 2009. Through in-store donations of $1, $3 or $5 and the corporate match, Stop & Shop exceeded its goal of collecting $1 million, despite a decline in charitable giving.

According to the American Philanthropic Giving Index, charitable giving fell dramatically in the first half of the year, reflecting a 21 percent decrease from just six months ago.

"Food for Friends is a creative and inexpensive way give back while you shop," said Ron Onorato, president of Stop & Shop's Metro New York division. "We're pleased to provide opportunities during the holidays for customers to give back and will continue to look for ways to make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve."

Customer donations from Stop & Shop's Metro New York stores exceeded $500,000, accounting for more than 35 percent of the total contribution.

This season, in addition to its annual Food for Friends donation, Stop & Shop gifted more than 20,000 Thanksgiving turkeys to local and regional food banks through its Turkey Express program. The company also supports hunger relief efforts through the Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation which recently announced a $1.5 million commitment to local and regional food banks to fund programs including, Feeding America's Kids Cafes and Backpack programs.

To learn more about Stop & Shop's hunger relief efforts visit, www.stopandshop.com.

About the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, headquartered in Quincy, Mass., employs more than 59,000 associates and operates stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey. The company is a member of the US Green Building Council and has been awarded LEED (EB) certifications for 50 of its existing stores. Stop & Shop has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores and is also a member of the EPA's Smart Way program.

About the Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation

The Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation was created to support educational and recreational programs for children across the communities served by the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company and Giant Food. The Foundation donated more than $750,000 in 2008/2009 and committed $1.5 million as a result of its fundraising efforts.

SOURCE Stop & Shop

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