Stop & Shop Highlights the Success of Meat the Needs, a Program that Donated Over 330,000 Pounds of Meat to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey

Representatives of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey joined Stop & Shop officials at the Stop & Shop in Edison, N.J. to discuss the success of Stop & Shop’s Meat the Needs program, which in 2014 provided the Community FoodBank of New Jersey with 339,186 pounds of beef, poultry and pork and enabled the food bank to provide thousands of meals to those in need.

The Meat the Needsprogram allows Stop & Shop meat managers to remove poultry, beef and pork from refrigerated shelves just ahead of expiration and instead of discarding it, donating it to food banks which quickly distributes it to food pantries and soup kitchens.

“Stop & Shop has long been a strong supporter of our efforts to provide for those in need across New Jersey,” Tim Vogel, Director of Food Sourcing of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “Stop & Shop’s innovative solution to match their inventory control process to the needs of so many food insecure people across our state with the Meat the Needs program is yet another example of their leadership in corporate social responsibility and why the Community FoodBank of New Jersey considers Stop & Shop a critical partner in the fight against hunger.”

The Meat the Needsprogram led to over 2 million pounds of beef, poultry and chicken being donated to food banks across the New York metro tri-state area. In addition to providing quality meals and vital protein to New Jersey residents in need, the amount of food waste that otherwise would have had to be deposited in landfills across the state in 2014 was reduced by 4,693 tons of organic material.

“Stop & Shop is proud that the proactive efforts of our stores has enabled us to provide much needed protein to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, which has allowed them to provide meals to New Jersey residents in need,” said Arlene Putterman, Manager of Public and Community Relations for Stop & Shop NY Metro Division. “In addition to helping feed the hungry, Stop & Shop is pleased that our efforts have benefited the environment by reducing the waste that would have ended up in landfills.”

Photo Caption: (From left to right) Tiffany Hardy, Stop & Shop Meat Wrapper; Bob Harman, Stop & Shop’s Director of Meat & Seafood; Arlene Putterman, Manager of Public and Community Relations of Stop & Shop NY Metro Division; and Tim Vogel, Director of Food Sourcing at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey join at the Stop & Shop in Edison, N.J. to discuss the success of Stop & Shop’s Meat the Needs program, which in 2014 provided the Community FoodBank of New Jersey with 339,186 pounds of beef, poultry and pork and enabled the food bank to provide thousands of meals to those in need.