Stop & Shop Launches Back-to-School Snack Program

With New York City schools adopting hybrid and remote models of learning this fall, many students may continue to face a nutritional gap as parents struggle to afford groceries given the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic – and the need to buy additional food for a home-bound family. With food playing a vital role in student success, Stop & Shop today is launching a Back-to-School Snack Program to help ease the burden on families as a result of the pandemic and ensure students are fueled for a successful school year.

Beginning Wednesday, September 9th and running through early October, the Stop & Shop Back-to-School Snack Program will provide a free bag of better-for-you snacks, as well as hand sanitizer, to students who visit one of the supermarket’s 27 New York City stores hosting the program. Other participating stores include Stop & Shop’s nine Boston, MA, stores and four Providence, RI, stores, as well as select stores in Westchester, NY; Western Massachusetts; Bridgeport & the Hartford area in CT; and Fall River, MA.

Stores in Queens include:

• Glendale (64-66 Myrtle Ave.)
• Glendale (8989 Union Turnpike)
• Maspeth (74-17 Grand Ave.)
• Long Island City (34-51 48th St.)
• Little Neck (24926 Northern Blvd.)
• Arverne By-the-Sea (70-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd.)
• Rockaway Park (112-15 Beach Channel Dr.)
• Bayside (213-215 26th Ave.)
• Howard Beach (156-01 Crossbay Blvd.)
• Springfield Gardens (134-40 Springfield Blvd.)
• Flushing (3106 Farrington St.)
• Ozone Park (92-10 Atlantic Ave.)

Each store will have a weekly distribution where parents and kids can go to a designated table to receive their free bag of snacks. The parent, guardian or child will be requested to show a school I.D., and there is a limit of 1 snack bag per child, per week. The distribution dates vary by store, and customers can look for a sign at their local store to indicate when the event will take place each week.

“With COVID-19, we know that food insecurity has increased in the United States – and studies show that is particularly true for households with young children,” said Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid. “We hope our snack program will make a difference in the lives of thousands of families and students across our communities.”

Each bag contains snacks that will appeal to students of all ages:

• RX Kids™ Double Chocolate Bar: a protein bar for kids
• Whisps®: light, crunchy cheese crisps that are delicious low-carb, high-protein snack
• Sparkling Ice®: Sparkling Water. Zero Sugar. Full of Flavor
• MadeGood® Chocolate Banana Bars & Chocolate Chip Crispy Squares: better-for-you versions of beloved treats!
• CLIF Kid Z-Bar®: organic energy snack made for kids
• Creative Roots: plant-powered hydration in a variety of fruit flavors

The bag will also include a bottle of Life to Go hand sanitizer, as well as a sidewalk chalk set.

Snack bag distribution varies by week, so customers are encouraged to check with their local participating store for details. For more information about how Stop & Shop is supporting its local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit http://www.stopandshop.com/covid.