East Providence Shoppers Help Raise More Than $13,000

East Providence shoppers who donated money for paper turkeys at the city's Stop & Shop helped raise more than $13,300 for the hungry.

The money will be donated to the Riverside nonprofit We Share Hope, according to a news release from Stop & Shop.

Customers at Stop & Shop's 392 stores donated $1, $3 or $5 for paper turkeys as part of the supermarket chain's "Food for Friends" program, which ran from Oct. 29 to Dec. 10.

Customers contributed about 90 percent of the $2 million the campaign raised nationally, while Stop & Shop donated $500 per store.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity and support from our customers and associates for Food for Friends,” Suzi Robinson, a spokesperson for Stop & Shop, said in the news release. “We exceeded the amount raised in 2009 by 40 percent. Even a tough economy could not dampen the spirit of giving that exists with the associates and customers in our communities.”

The president of We Share Hope could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.