The FoodBank to aid in non-perishable collection at 199 local Stop & Shop locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
NBC 4 and Telemundo 47 news personalities to visit collection locations, support donation efforts and encourage local volunteerism
NEW YORK – March 7, 2017 – Coming together to feed local families, replenish non-perishable supplies and recruit new volunteers to sustain important anti-hunger efforts, The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties joined NBC 4 New York / WNBC, Telemundo 47 / WNJU and Stop & Shop to announce Feeding Our Families / Alimentando a Nuestras Familias, a massive, Tri-State food and volunteer drive scheduled for Saturday, April 8.
“We’re excited that we can bring these partners together on one day to create awareness and collect food and funds at a time when so many of our neighbors are in need of help,” said Carlos Rodriguez, FoodBank Executive Director.
Donations can be made at 199 Stop & Shop locations, including in Monmouth and Ocean County stores. Volunteers from the FoodBank and our feeding program partners will collect and pack all donated items to distribute to local families.
WHO/ WHAT: The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, NBC4 New York, Telemundo 47, Stop & Shop Supermarkets and six other Tri-State food bank and food rescue organizations join to host a region-wide food and volunteer drive.
WHEN: Saturday, April 8 between 10 AM and 6 PM.
WHERE: Monmouth and Ocean County residents can visit any of the region’s 199 Stop & Shop locations and place donation items inside clearly labeled collection bins. Please visit NBCNewYork.com/fooddrive or Telemundo47.com/feature/alimentando-a-nuestras-familias to access an interactive map of food donation locations.
DONATIONS: Non-perishable food and personal hygiene items, including frequently requested items like baby diapers. Visit NBCNewYork.com/fooddrive or Telemundo47.com/feature/alimentando-a-nuestras-familias to access list of items that can be donated, including a sample “shopping list.”
“Fighting hunger is very important to WNBC. Food banks often face their greatest need between January and August, and regularly depend on volunteers to support their operations. Our April 8 Feeding our Families food and volunteer drive will help local food banks secure these important resources, which will make a difference for families across the Tri-State area,” said Eric Lerner, President and General Manager of NBC 4 New York.
NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 will offer live reports and broadcast cut-ins from several Stop & Shop locations on April 8, including on NBC 4 New York’s Weekend Today in New York and News 4 New York, as well as on Telemundo 47’s Noticiero 47 Telemundo. News personalities will also visit many Stop & Shop collection locations on April 8 to support on-site efforts.
Stop & Shop, the Tri-State’s largest supermarket chain with 199 stores located throughout the region, is committed to supporting the communities that it serves and those organizations that are on the front lines battling hunger every day. As a food retailer, Stop & Shop recognizes the important role it can play in hunger relief efforts. In 2016, Stop & Shop donated almost $4 million to hunger relief agencies throughout the region. Part of that effort included its signature Meat the Needs program which delivers safe, nutritious and much needed meat to regional food banks and pantries for families in need.
“Stop & Shop is proud to continue its long-standing support of local food banks and pantries on behalf of Feeding Our Families,” said Bob Yager, Stop & Shop New York Division Lead. “This will be the largest single-day food drive Stop & Shop has ever hosted, and our associates are eager to make this incredible event a success.”
In addition to the participation of The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and Stop & Shop, the stations’ April 8 food drive will include the involvement of six other food banks, including Connecticut Food Bank, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Food Bank for New York City, Food Bank for Westchester, Food Bank of the Hudson Valley and Island Harvest (Long Island).
Food bank operations face periods of greatest need between January and August — a time outside of traditional periods of giving and volunteering coinciding with the holiday season. Non-perishable items are requested by families daily, but the most frequently-requested items are those not covered by public assistance programs such as WIC and SNAP. These requests range from baby diapers to personal hygiene items such as toilet paper, tampons and more.
Unique to NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47’s Feeding our Families / Alimentando a Nuestras Familias food and volunteer drive is the “Give 4” recruitment initiative. Those that register to volunteer four hours of their time every four months at local food banks can aid in more ways than stocking shelves, packing supplies and making local deliveries. “Give 4” donors can also assist local food banks and rescue operations through non-physical, customized tasks including accounting, social media, digital marketing and advertising, among others.
For more information on the April 8 Feeding Our Families / Alimentando a Nuestras Familias food and volunteer drive, please visit NBCNewYork.com, Telemundo47.com, StopandShop.com or any participating food bank or food rescue organization.
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