Stop & Shop Donating 21K Turkeys

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has begun its holiday giving season with the annual Turkey Express program, which will donate almost 21,000 turkeys to hunger relief organizations across the Ahold USA banner's Northeast footprint.

"At Stop & Shop, we continually strive to uphold our promise of being a better neighbor all year long," noted Joe Kelley, president of Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & Shop New England. "For the past 100 years, we have been committed to providing healthy and affordable meals to the community and will continue to support that mission through our hunger relief programs, such as Turkey Express, for the next 100."

This year's Turkey Express will encompass 16 stops throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Purchase, N.Y.-based Stop & Shop New York Metro will provide 8,700 Thanksgiving turkeys to eight New York-area food banks, while Stop & Shop New England will donate 13,000 Thanksgiving turkeys to eight New England-area food banks.

Community Members Help With Deliveries

The 2014 program is receiving additional aid from community members in delivering the turkeys to hunger relief organizations. On Long Island, U.S. Marines who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will assist in the unloading of more than 2,000 turkeys; players from the New York Giants will help out at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey; medical personnel from Monmouth Medical Center, in Long Branch, N.J., and Community Medical Center, in Toms River, N.J., along with their patients, will unload 1,500 turkeys; and college athletes from Southern Connecticut State University will assist the Connecticut Food Bank.

The grocery chain is also encouraging customers to buy a $10 Hunger Box packed with everything needed for a holiday meal, including Stop & Shop's Own Brand stuffing mix, cut yams and cranberry sauce. Shoppers can take the box and donate it personally to a local food pantry, or the store will donate it to its regional food bank.

Stop & Shop employs more than 59,000 associates and operates 395 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. Progressive Grocer has named Ahold USA its 2014 Retailer of the Year.