ShopRite Fights Hunger with Help from Local Dignitaries

The smiles of ShopRite Rio Grande customers were brighter than usual as local community leaders and dignitaries bagged groceries at checkout on Wednesday, Sept. 16 for ShopRite’s ‘Bag for Hunger’ day, an annual event that encourages donations to ShopRite Partners In Caring’s fight against hunger. In attendance were Bishop Charles A. Farrow and his family, Middle Township Deputy Mayor Daniel Lockwood, Middle Township Committeeman Michael J. Clark, business owner Jeffrey Devico, representatives Tina Johnson and Carol Willard from Community Food Closet of Cape May, and representative Bernice St. Germain from Our Lady of the Angels Hope and Help Outreach.
Although ShopRite Partners in Caring is a year-round initiative, ShopRite holds this event every September in conjunction with National Hunger Awareness Month. Each year in September, ShopRite associates band together to raise help and hope for the hungry in a friendly competition that spans across the six states ShopRite stores operate in. This year’s challenge was to raise an unprecedented $1.5 million to support food banks in the communities ShopRite serves. To help reach this goal, in addition to dignitaries bagging groceries, ShopRite asked its customers for monetary donations at checkout. Sponsored by ShopRite and General Mills, the ShopRite Partners In Caring contest has resulted in donations totaling $38 million since its start in 1999.
“We really love ShopRite. They do and awful lot for us. ShopRite truly is our partner,” said Carol Willard, explaining Community Food Closet of Cape May’s gratefulness for ShopRite Rio Grande.
‘Bag for Hunger’ day could not be successful without ShopRite Assistant Manager Janice DiGaetano, who continually shows her commitment to the fight against hunger year after year through her event planning and executing efforts.
To learn how you can join the hunger-fighting initiative, visit www.shopritepartnersincaring.org.