Stop & Shop Donates Over $108,000 to Fulfill at Lakewood Pantry

Stop & Shop presented a check for more than $108,000 to Fulfill at their Wellpoint Mobile Pantry in Lakewood. Stop & Shop associates also volunteered at the Mobile Pantry as they distributed healthy food to local community members. Stop & Shop’s primary charitable pillar is to combat hunger across its region and is proud that its donation will help Fulfill to fight food insecurity across Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The donation is part of a larger $2 million donation from Stop & Shop to eight Feeding America food banks across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut to support programs that fight against food insecurity

The donation from Stop & Shop came from a combination of its in-store ‘Feed It Forward’ campaign, which ran from May 1st to May 31st, and the Stop & Shop Family Foundation. Over $33,000 was raised through the ‘Feed It Forward’ campaign and $75,000 was donated from the Stop & Shop Family Foundation to support the Fulfill Mobile Pantries and Garden Programs.

The Fulfill Mobile Pantries program is designed to bring food directly to people who lack access to healthy food in their neighborhoods. Families can go to the Mobile Pantry sites to receive non-perishable food as well as fresh produce and baked goods. Since its inception the program has grown to serve 24 sites throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties and is now serving over 2,000 families each month. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, Fulfill distributed over 156,277 pounds of food, the equivalent of 130,189 meals to their hungry neighbors through their Mobile Pantry Program.

"Right now, more than 100,000 of our Monmouth & Ocean County neighbors are turning to a food pantry every month to put food on the table,” said Triada Stampas, President and CEO of Fulfill. “With Stop & Shop's generosity and partnership, we are not only able to provide more nutritious food to our community, but also enhance programs that provide families with the resources and information to sustain a healthy diet on a budget. Thank you, Stop & Shop, for your unwavering support and commitment to our mission."

The Fulfill Garden Program teaches students the importance of nutritious foods and healthy choices through experiential, hands-on learning. Students get excited about healthy eating by letting them grow a variety of items in raised garden beds at their school. The kids become engaged in learning about nutrition, how food is grown, and why fresh food matters.

“Fighting hunger in the communities we serve, is Stop & Shop’s primary charitable effort, which is why we are proud to support Fulfill’s mission to alleviate hunger and build food security in Monmouth and Ocean Counties so all people at all times have access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life,” said Daniel Wolk, External Communications Manager at Stop & Shop. “We are honored to donate over $108,000 to Fulfill to support both their Mobile Pantries and Graden Program, so our community members may gain more access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and children can learn the importance of gardening and eating healthy.”

According to Feeding America, nearly 8% of the population in Monmouth and Ocean Counties experience food insecurity. Fulfill has distributed record amounts of food as more and more people struggle without enough finances for the essentials. In the fiscal year of 2022-23, Fulfill delivered more than 17 million pounds of food, the equivalent of over 14 million meals to community members in need.

Each year, Fulfill relies on the generosity of organizations like Stop & Shop to serve neighbors facing hunger. Stop & Shop’s Meat the Needs Program, ‘Feed It Forward’ campaign, Annual Turkey Express Program, Stop & Shop Family Foundation donation, School Food Pantry Program, and direct support are a few of the many ways the company supports anti-hunger organizations in the communities it serves.

The donation of over $108,000 will allow Fulfill to better serve its food insecure community members in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey. To learn more about Stop & Shop’s community support; visit: https://stopandshop.com/pages/feed-it-forward.