Toms River ShopRite Wins Cheerios Box Spot Fifth Straight Year

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- Two employees of ShopRite on Fischer Boulevard have been featured on a Cheerios box for helping their store raise nearly $12,000 in support of the grocery store's regional contest to support local food pantries.

This year's effort in the ShopRite Partners in Caring Cheerios Contest -- the fifth straight victory for the crew at the Fischer Boulevard store -- was aided by associates Lisanne Catapano and Juliann Knight, according to a news release from ShopRite.

The Cheerios box with their photos on it was revealed Friday during a ceremony at the store, in recognition of their fundraising efforts, which totaled $11,880. The store received a monetary prize that was donated to The People's Pantry, officials said.

The competition that involved stores in six states was sponsored by ShopRite and General Mills. With a “Lending a Hand for Hunger” theme, ShopRite associates collected donations at check-out and held various in-store events, raising $1.3 million to support regional food banks in communities served by ShopRite stores.

Each of the 40 winning ShopRite stores was awarded with the selection of two ShopRite associates to be featured on a special-edition Cheerios box, and 150,000 customized Cheerios boxes, sold exclusively at ShopRite, will be distributed.

Catapano and Knight, both of Toms River, were joined by Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher and Michael Perlmutter, Joel Perlmutter and Jim Haslett, owners and operators of the ShopRite of Fischer Bay, for the unveiling ceremony.

“The 81 ShopRite associates featured on this year’s special-edition Cheerios Box represent the caring and compassion that has come to symbolize the fight against hunger and the commitment of ShopRite Partners In Caring,” said Christine Magyarits, spokesperson for ShopRite Partners In Caring.

“Since ShopRite Partners In Caring began in 1999, a total of $40 million has been donated to local food banks to feed the hungry in our communities," she said. "The Cheerios Box contest is one of our favorite annual events and highlights many of our partners in the fight against hunger -- our dedicated ShopRite associates, our generous customers, and one of our long-time vendor partners, General Mills, who shares our passion for helping those in need of food assistance.”

(PHOTOS courtesy of ShopRite and Toms River Township: ShopRite of Fischer Bay associates Juliann Knight, left, and Lisanne Catapano flank Toms River Mayor Thomas Kellaher during the ceremony revealing the box with their photos on it. They were joined by People's Pantry executive director Patricia Donaghue and Michael Perlmutter, Joel Perlmutter and Jim Haslett, owners and operators of the ShopRite of Fischer Bay.)