Stop & Shop Donates More Than $50,000 to Worcester County Food Bank

The recently donated more than $50,000 to the Worcester County Food Bank through its annual Food for Friends program. The funds will help provide hunger relief to multiple communities throughout central Massachusetts.

“For more than 20 years, Stop & Shop has helped support the Worcester County Food Bank through countless donations so we can provide food to the people who need it most,” said Jean G. McMurray, executive director for the Worcester County Food Bank. “Thanks to the generosity of companies like Stop & Shop, we are able to respond quickly and effectively to bring help and hope to our neighbors in need.” 

 Stop & Shop raised more than $2 million in 2010 with its 21st annual Food for Friends campaign. Sixty percent of the funds were distributed directly to hundreds of local food pantries adopted by stores in each community. The remaining funds were allocated to regional state food banks.

The Food for Friends program ran in all 392 Stop & Shop stores from Oct. 29 through Dec. 10. Customers donated $1, $3, or $5 “paper turkeys” at their local Stop & Shop. Customer contributions accounted for 90 percent of the $2 million; Stop & Shop contributed $500 per store.

The Worcester County Food Bank is Central Massachusetts’ largest anti-hunger organization distributing over 5.6 million pounds of donated food and grocery product annually in partnership with food industry donors, financial supporters, and volunteers. The Food Bank provides this product to a network of 163 partner agencies that have programs for feeding people, including food pantries, community meal programs and shelters.

In fiscal year 2010, the Food Bank and its partner agencies provided food assistance to 85,685 different people, including 33,000 children under the age of 18 years.

Courtesy Stop & Shop Supermarket Company.