All Aboard! Stop & Shop's Turkey Express Program to Donate 13,000 Turkeys to Food Banks in New England

QUINCY, Mass., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Feeding families in need for the holiday season is top of mind this month as Stop & Shop kicks off its Turkey Express program. Starting today, through Thanksgiving, The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC will donate 13,000 turkeys to nine hunger relief organizations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. In total, Stop & Shop's Turkey Express program will donate 20,000 turkeys across the Northeast as part of several company-led initiatives to help combat hunger.

The donation comes on the heels of a new study by Feeding America that finds many Americans are now repeatedly depending on food pantries and other charitable food services to meet regular, rather than temporary, food needs. As 54 percent of those in need visit food pantries as a "normal" part of their monthly supplement, Stop & Shop's turkey donation will help now more than ever before.

"Given the high demand for resources this year, food banks are stretched to do more with less," said Suzi Robinson for Stop & Shop New England. "We're pleased to be able to continue to offer these food banks relief and help feed nearly 130,000 people in New England this holiday season."

Stop & Shop's Turkey Express begins in New England today with the delivery of more than 2,000 turkeys to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in Providence, R.I., and the Worcester County Food Bank in Shrewsbury, Mass. The remaining turkeys will be delivered in time for the Thanksgiving holiday to the following organizations:

• Nov. 14 – The Greater Boston Food Bank, Boston, Mass.
• Nov. 15 – New Hampshire Food Bank, Manchester, N.H.
• Nov. 15 – The Food Bank of Western Mass., Hatfield, Mass.
• Nov. 16 – YMCA of East Boston, East Boston, Mass.
• Nov. 16 – YMCA of Dorchester, Dorchester, Mass.
• Nov. 19 – Pawtucket Boys & Girls Club, Pawtucket, R.I.

Stop & Shop also donated 1,000 turkeys to Foodshare in East Hartford, Conn., to support their 17th annual H.O.G. Turkey Run event on Oct. 23.

In addition to its Turkey Express program, Stop & Shop is encouraging customers to help raise money for local food banks by participating in its 22nd annual Food for Friends program. Now through Dec. 8, 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. With a goal to raise more than $2 million this holiday season, Stop & Shop's Food for Friends program will deliver 100 percent of the dollars raised – 60 percent will be allocated directly to local food pantries; 40 percent will be donated to regional food banks.

To learn more about Stop & Shop in the community, visit www.stopandshop.com. Photos of the deliveries are available upon request.

About Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs approximately 62,000 associates and operates nearly 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer, and promotes general health and wellness – with an emphasis on children's educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA's Smart Way program; has been awarded LEED (EB) certifications for 50 of its existing stores; and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com.

SOURCE Stop & Shop