U.S. Coast Guard Unloads 1500 Turkeys Donated by Stop & Shop

Members of the US Coast Guard assist Stop and Shop employees in unloading 1500 turkeys that Stop & Shop donated to Fulfill, formerly known as The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel from Manasquan Inlet and Sandy Hook stations unloaded 1500 turkeys donated by Stop & Shop to Fulfill.

Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program delivered 21,000 turkeys to hunger relief organizations in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island this holiday season.

The Coast Guard personnel, who heroically protect New Jersey boaters and swimmers, say they hope their efforts will lead others to help Fulfill meet the needs of the hungry in this difficult economic period.

In the past year the Food Bank says it has seen a five percent increase in food distribution – from 11.8 million pounds of food to 12.4 million pounds of food. 132,000 people in Monmouth and Ocean Counties live on incomes that put them at risk of hunger at some time each month.

-40% of them are children and elderly.

-85% of households have income of less than $30,000 annually

-78% choose between paying for housing and food

-46% report watering down food or drinks

Stop & Shop donates over $12 million in product and financial support to individual food banks. In addition to the Turkey Express program, Stop & Shop continues to fight hunger through the Food for Friends campaign, which will raise more than $1 million this year for more than 300 local hunger relief organizations.