Stop & Shop Donates $12,500 in Gift Cards to Help PS223Q

Stop & Shop has donated $12,500 in gift cards to enable the Lyndon B. Johnson School, PS223Q, located at 125-20 Sutphin Blvd in Jamaica, Quuens to open an in-school food pantry to meet the needs of the 480 3-K through fifth grade students.

PS223Q is a Title 1 school, which means it has a high percentage of children from low-income households. Afeena Afiz, the Parent Coordinator says that 98% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunches, and through this food pantry they will be able to feed 25 families a month, focusing on students living in temporary housing.

“Since becoming the Principal here in 2019, one of my areas of focus has been on supporting families within the community,” said Principal at the Lyndon B. Johnson School, PS223Q, Tekesha Babb. “I believe that in order for students to reach their fullest potential, there has to be a partnership with families and the community. The Stop & Shop School Food Pantry Program has allowed us to build on this. Our families have been faced with many adversaries since the Covid 19 pandemic, this is our way of giving back to those who are most in need. Part of our mission at PS223 is to empower our students and families and to enrich the lives of those living in our community. Thanks to our partnership with Stop & Shop, we are doing this!”

Beneficiaries of the food pantry will be able to pick up groceries once a month. The pantry will provide proteins, such as chicken and ground beef, fresh produce including apples, bananas, and tomatoes, and side dishes comprising of spaghetti, macaroni, rice, string beans, and vegetables.

The Stop & Shop School Food Pantry Program was established to help limit barriers impacting students’ ability to succeed in the classroom by making sure that they have consistent access to food. Stop & Shop supports local schools’ existing food pantries or helps them establish a new one by providing gift card donations to help stock their shelves.

“This in-school pantry will ensure that families at PS223Q will have access to nutritious healthy food and necessary protein options,” said Stop & Shop Communications Manager, Daniel Wolk. “Students cannot learn or reach their fullest potential when they are hungry, and we are proud to support the Lyndon B. Johnson School in ensuring their students are fueled for success.”

Stop & Shop currently supports more than 170 School Food Pantries across its five-state footprint. Across the city, there are 44 total school pantries, 14 in Queens, 14 in the Bronx, 14 in Brooklyn, 3 in Staten Island, and several more to open across the boroughs in 2023. For more information about Stop & Shop’s School Food Pantry program, visit https://stopandshop.com/pages/school-food-pantry-program.