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Before becoming champions, they were already heroes Super Bowl XLII champs, New York Giants Teamed Up with ShopRite & Kraft to Tackle Local Hunger
On November 12, 2007, the New York Giants took a stand against hunger in the Metropolitan area at the first-ever “Taste of the Giants Benefit” for ShopRite Partners In Caring. The charity event, presented in conjunction with ShopRite and Kraft Foods, took place at the Giants Stadium Club in the Meadowlands where Giants fans purchased tickets to mingle alongside their favorite players and enjoy an evening of fun and food. All proceeds from the tickets sold for the Taste of the Giants benefit went to local food banks in our trading area via ShopRite Partners In Caring. The Giants have always been heroes to so many for what they accomplish on the field, but their enthusiasm for this event and concern for the plight of the hungry shows that they are also heroes committed to helping change lives of those in need for the better.
Emceed by Giants great Ottis Anderson, the Taste of the Giants welcomed current and former Giants players for an evening of food, fun and football. Guests had the opportunity to socialize with Giants players and coaches at the Stadium Club, take a stadium tour that included the playing field, and sample signature dishes by chefs from some of the area’s finest restaurants as well as ShopRite Chef Faith Alahverdian (pictured in the center — above) and her staff. Live and silent auctions were also on-site featuring sports memorabilia, vacation packages and other unique items and experiences.
ShopRite & Cheerios help battle hunger
Kyra and three other community-minded youngsters who organized their own hunger-fighting projects were recognized as SuperKids in the seventh annual ShopRite Partners in Caring Cheerios Box Competition, which raised more than $330,000 to fight hunger. Each SuperKid received 2,500 Box Tops for Education, which were provided by General Mills for their school, and a $500 donation to the hunger-fighting organization he or she chose. The youngsters’ pictures also appeared on a limited-edition Cheerios box sold exclusively at ShopRite stores. To enter the competition, parents, teachers and members of the community submitted essays that testified to the youngsters’ initiative, accomplishments and the spirit in which they worked. In addition to Kyra, the winning SuperKids are second grader Leah Berke and fourth grader Connor Bailey, both from Connecticut, and seventh grader Monica Murphy, who, like Kyra, is from New Jersey. “We’re delighted to recognize local children who take part in hunger-fighting activities and demonstrate the drive necessary to lead the fight against hunger for the next generation,” said Christine Magyarits, community relations manager for ShopRite. “It’s a wonderful sign for the future.” Adding another dimension to the contest, all ShopRite associates were challenged during a two-week period to raise funds and awareness for the fight against hunger by offering $1 donation cards to customers at checkout, constructing displays and holding events to support the cause. General Mills donated an additional $20,000 to the ShopRite Partners In Caring Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of New Jersey. Two associates from each of the top 30 winning stores were featured on the special limited-edition Cheerios box. The Winning “SuperKids”
Basing her efforts on “the power of one,” Leah organized a food drive that collected two carloads of food for the Waterford Interfaith Food Locker and even helped stock the shelves. Kyra starts her day at 5:00 a.m. at a farm to help plant, maintain, harvest and deliver fresh vegetables through the Grow-a-Row program, a hunger-fighting organization that grows produce for the needy. When he was in kindergarten, Connor started the Change for Good Penny Drive to raise money for charity. Over the past four years, Conner has worked very hard to persuade his classmates, neighbors and friends to do chores for pennies, and he’s raised $3,700 for the Windsor Community Service Council’s Food Bank. Monica proved that it doesn’t take a lot of money or expertise to make a difference — it just takes focus, spirit and a real desire to help hungry people. Thanks to her efforts, 3,000 pounds of food were collected over two years period for the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. To achieve this, she organized food drives and then used her artistic talents to build sculptures with the donated cans. Local charities share $1 million
For the last 16 years, through the ShopRite LPGA’s charitable component,* ShopRite has provided financial support to dozens of charitable organizations including: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Deborah Hospital Foundation, UMDNJ, regional food banks, educational institutions, and other agencies working to aid those in need in our communities. *The donations are administered through the ShopRite Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of New Jersey. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that manages 800 charitable funds representing $180 million in assets. NY Jets Taste of the NFL
At the Fifth Annual New York Jets Taste of the NFL benefit at Guastavino’s in New York City, the Jets players mingled with fans who sampled signature dishes from several of New York’s finest five-star restaurants. This benefit, hosted by ShopRite and Kraft, supports ShopRite Partners In Caring. “The Jets’ organization is honored to be involved with this event because it truly affects the lives of people in our communities,” Jets President Jay Cross said. “We look forward to continuing to raise awareness and funds to fight hunger.” “Hunger is a huge concern in our area, and the Jets continue to help raise much-needed money to fight this problem,” Karen Meleta, ShopRite Partners In Caring spokeswoman, commented. “All of us appreciate their dedication.” The family dinner T
In addition, ShopRite of Fischer Bay held in-store events promoting family togetherness, healthy eating and wellness to mark this special day. And, civic organizations from the Toms River area joined ShopRite of Fischer Bay and Rutgers University to host a Family Day Expo. As part of this event, representatives from 10 community organizations were there to tell people about their programs. Family Day 2008 will be celebrated on September 22, 2008. For more information, log onto www.CASAFamilyDay.org. Supporting our troops
The program — called “Support Our Troops” — worked with Operation Military Pride www.operationmilitarypride.org, a volunteer group that aims to boost the morale of U.S. soldiers around the world. The organization helped identify and find troops from the local area who are serving overseas, and the Ravitz family’s ShopRite Supermarkets of Cherry Hill shipped the packages directly to these New Jersey servicemen and women. Steve Ravitz, owner and operator of six ShopRite stores, wanted to do something special for the soldiers who are defending our country far from home. “We hope the packages brought smiles to the soldiers’ faces and reminded them how much we appreciate the hard work they’re doing,” he said. Winning the coveted ShopRite Cup Each year, the ShopRite Cup honors the top-performing high school athletic programs in each of the state’s six competitive classes – four public and two nonpublic. The honor is presented jointly by ShopRite and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). “ShopRite is not just your neighborhood supermarket. We are your neighbors, and we believe in taking an active and supportive role in our communities — especially when it comes to encouraging and supporting our youth,” said Karen Meleta, spokeswoman for ShopRite. ShopRite stores all around New Jersey honored the 2007 ShopRite Cup winners with in-store banners and other activities. (See photos of winning schools below.)
Schools earned ShopRite Cup points by finishing in the top four in their group’s state championship competitions in 32 NJSIAA-sanctioned sports during the 2006–2007 school year. The ShopRite Cup also rewards sportsmanship with bonus points for schools with no disqualifications. A total of 260 New Jersey high schools received ShopRite Cup points. Steve Timko, executive director of the NJSIAA, is convinced that the ShopRite Cup has added a new dimension to interscholastic athletics in New Jersey by recognizing the schools’ combined athletic performance in all sports. “The ShopRite Cup has broadened the sense of what it means to be part of a team. I believe student-athletes appreciate that even if their team doesn’t win a state championship in a particular sport, a strong showing at the tournament can contribute to the school’s overall success,” said Timko. “It definitely enhances the competitive experience for everyone — student-athletes and their classmates, coaches, parents and community boosters.” Turkeys on board!
According to America’s Second Harvest www.secondharvest.org, 36.3 million people, including 13 million children, live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. What is most astonishing is that an average of 23 percent of requests for emergency food assistance may go unmet, according to estimates. It’s sad to think that many families are hungry, especially on holidays. But ShopRite Partners In Caring came to the rescue for many of them again this year — by donating and delivering 60,000 pounds of turkey to food banks across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania. The effort was part of ShopRite Partners In Caring’s annual Thanksgiving tradition. “ShopRite Partners In Caring is dedicated to giving families a Thanksgiving meal to enjoy,” said Mary Ellen Gowin, vice president of consumer and corporate communications. “During the holidays, the difficulties families face are more apparent. But our fight against hunger goes on all year, and we recognize the ‘season of giving’ as a critical period to raise awareness and funds for those in need.” ShopRite & Special Olympics New Jersey
Last year’s Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games, held during the first weekend of June at the College of New Jersey in Ewing, marked Wakefern/ShopRite’s 20th year of participation. About 350 Wakefern volunteers and their families supported the weekend effort, and more than 2,500 New Jersey residents competed in the games. The athletes included approximately 150 students who participated in the Schools Sports Expo on Friday morning and 40 children under age eight who took part in the Young Athlete Program activity on Saturday.
On Saturday evening, athletes, coaches and family members attended a Trenton Thunder baseball game. Before the game, the Special Olympics Torch was passed from a Summer Games tennis player to a Team USA tennis player. As part of the Law Enforcement Torch Runs, which raise funds for the Special Olympics program, the torch runners made stops at 45 ShopRite stores. Special Olympics New Jersey, a nonprofit organization, provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in 23 Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Wakefern is a long-time supporter of the Special Olympics on a year-round basis with in-kind donations and volunteers. The 2008 games will take place June 7-8 at the College of New Jersey. Photo (above) of Special Olympian Zach Edenzon courtesy of Special Olympics New Jersey. For more information about ShopRite's community programs, call 1-800-ShopRite, explore the ShopRite website or visit www.shopritepartnersincaring.org
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Giants fan or not, you may still be reminiscing about the glorious moment Eli Manning (photo, left) led the Giants to an improbable victory against the New England Patriots — an event that will go down in sport’s history and touched the lives of many in various ways. But did you know that the Giants were already heroes months before the Super Bowl? 
“Hunger is a growing concern in our local communities and we have a responsibility to make a difference,” said Rodnell Workman, New York Football Giants Marketing Manager. “We are excited about kicking-off our first Taste of the Giants event and look forward to working on more events in the future.” 
While most people are still asleep, Kyra Paillex (photo, lower right corner) a third grader from New Jersey is up at 5 a.m. tending to her vegetable garden. Everything she grows will be given to an organization that feeds the needy.
The Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite LPGA golf tournament was held in May at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey. Lorena Ochoa, the No. 1 woman’s golfer in the world, may have won the 2007 Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite, but 38 charities also finished “in the money” and will share more than $1 million in donations from ShopRite.
Winning the fight against hunger is a lot harder than winning a football game, but the New York Jets recently proved they’re strong competitors on both fields by raising $181,000 to support ShopRite Partners In Caring.
here is a growing national effort to prevent substance abuse in kids and teens by encouraging parent-child communication through the simple act of having dinner together frequently. Launched by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in 2001, Family Day addresses the issue that the organization’s research found: The more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. Conversely, children and teens who have frequent family dinners are more likely to get better grades in school.
And so, on Sept. 24, 2007, ShopRite joined forces with The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University to celebrate the seventh annual Family Day — A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™. ShopRite encouraged customers to eat dinner together by providing easy, healthy recipes and meal ideas in weekly ads and on its Web site, as well as by displaying posters and making public service announcements at the checkout counter in its stores. 
Far from their country and everything they love, soldiers long for food from home. Honoring those wishes, the ShopRite of Cherry Hill, N.J. developed a unique program that encouraged customers to buy gift packages that the stores would send to the soldiers.
For many of us, Thanksgiving Day means food, family, and more food. However, for some families in our area, Thanksgiving Day is just another day of living with hunger and empty plates.
New Jersey’s sunny skies were no match for the bright smiles, enthusiasm and courage of the folks who took part in the 2007 Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games. The athletes got in two full days of competition in aquatics, bocce, gymnastics, power lifting, softball, tennis, and track & field — as well as lots of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad and chips.
“The appreciation expressed to us all weekend long from the athletes, their families, and Special Olympics and Law Enforcement Torch Run makes me and all of the volunteers proud to work for a company that provides so much to such a worthwhile cause,” commented John McHugh, Wakefern volunteer and senior supervisor of loss prevention. “The achievements of all of the athletes are truly inspiring.”