20,000 Turkeys Parade Into Local Food Banks

QUINCY, Mass., Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Turkeys are top of mind this month as Stop & Shop kicks off its annual Turkey Express program. Starting today, through Thanksgiving, Stop & Shop will donate 20,000 turkeys, which will help feed nearly 200,000 people through local area hunger relief organizations throughout the Northeast. The Turkey Express program is one of several company-led initiatives to combat hunger in the region.

The donation comes amid reports from the National Turkey Federation of rising turkey prices (nearly 23 percent more per pound than last year's average) and the kick-off of holiday meal drives wherein some local food banks aim to collect upwards of 350,000 pounds of food to benefit local families. For The Greater Boston Food Bank, Stop & Shop's donation will mark the completion of its annual turkey goal contributing to more than 40,000 turkeys collected.

"For more than 100 years Stop & Shop has been providing healthy, affordable meals to families across the Northeast," said Judi Palmer, director of marketing and external communications for Stop & Shop. "We are pleased to continue to partner with local hunger organizations to combat hunger in the region and make it easy for families to share a meal together this Thanksgiving."

Stop & Shop's Turkey Express begins today with the delivery of more than 2,000 turkeys to food banks in Providence, R.I., and Worcester, Mass. Among the organizations receiving turkeys this year are the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Worcester County Food Bank, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, The Greater Boston Food Bank, YMCA of East Boston, New Hampshire Food Bank and the Pawtucket Boys & Girls Club.

In addition to its Turkey Express program, Stop & Shop is encouraging customers to help raise money for local food banks by participating in its 21st annual Food for Friends program. Now through Friday, Dec. 10, customers who donate $1, $3 or $5 at their local Stop & Shop will help support more than 300 local hunger relief organizations across the Northeast. Stop & Shop will also match the first $500 raised by each store up to $190,000 – raising $1 million to feed families in need. One hundred percent of the dollars raised will be directed to regional food banks.

To help give back this holiday season and learn more about Stop & Shop's Turkey Express or Food for Friends programs, visit www.stopandshop.com. Photos of the deliveries are available upon request.

About Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company employs more than 59,000 associates and operates stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, 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.

SOURCE Stop & Shop