Shaw's Supermarkets, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, and the Greater Boston Food Bank have teamed up to launch a fundraising campaign supporting local Kids Cafe programs and food banks across New England, according to a published report.

"The consequences of going hungry as a child are more than simply having an empty stomach," Shaw's and Star Market president Larry Wahlstrom told the Whitman Times in Raynham, Mass. "Hungry children do not perform well in school and become ill more frequently than their well-nourished peers. Our customers have always been so generous in donating to important causes."

Run in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs, Kids Cafes offer daily nutritious meals to needy children after school.

Through Oct. 31, Shaw's and Star Market customers can buy paper helmets in red, for a $1 donation, or silver, for a $5 donation. The immediate aim of the initiative is to raise enough money for 350,000 meals, with a further goal of opening three new Kids Cafes by the end of 2009 and the continuation of support for program in the region.

Each person who buys a helmet at checkout will also be eligible to win Patriots prizes, including a trip to a Patriots away game, VIP tickets to a home game, and autographed memorabilia.