Stop & Shop's $2M donation aids 8 Feeding America® Food Banks in NY, NJ & CT in the Fight Against Hunger.

Stop & Shop presented a check for more than $205,000 to Long Island Cares, Inc. – The Harry Chapin Food Bank at the Stop & Shop in Long Beach. This contribution aligns with Stop & Shop’s primary charitable mission to combat hunger within its communities and is part of a larger $2 million commitment to support Feeding America® food banks across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. These funds are crucial in bolstering essential programs that alleviate food insecurity throughout the region.

Food insecurity has continued to rise across Long Island. According to data from Long Island Cares:

• Approximately 313,880 people on Long Island struggle with food insecurity, including nearly 71,500 children.
• 46,627 seniors visited Long Island Cares pantries in 2024.
• Approximately 40% of food-insecure Long Island households are above the poverty level but don’t make enough to keep up with the high cost of living in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, making them ineligible for nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The donation from Stop & Shop was generated through an amalgamation of its in-store ‘Feed it Forward’ campaign, which ran from June 6th to July 6th, and a significant contribution from the Stop & Shop Family Foundation. The ‘Feed it Forward’ campaign raised over $55,000, while the Stop & Shop Family Foundation contributed $150,000 to Long Island Cares for the 2025-26 school year in support of the food bank’s Kids Cafe after-school feeding and nutrition education program for food-insecure children.

The Kids Cafe program provides free meals to low-income children through a variety of community locations where children gather during after-school hours. These locations include Boys & Girls Clubs, churches, community centers, public and private schools. In addition to providing nutritious meals to children, Kids Cafes offer a safe place where children can participate in educational, recreational, and social activities under the supervision of a trustworthy staff.

Over its 20-year partnership with Long Island Cares, the Stop & Shop Foundation and Stop & Shop stores have provided more than $4 million in monetary and food donations. All donations to Long Island Cares are earmarked to support Long Islanders suffering from food insecurity.

“The collaboration between Stop & Shop and Long Island Cares will benefit the academic and health outcomes for children attending these programs,” said Kerry Tooker, Manager of Child Nutrition Programs at Long Island Cares. “Stop & Shop has been a tremendous supporter of our Kids Cafe Afterschool Program throughout the years. Kids Cafe is an incredibly impactful program, where children receive academic enrichment, recreation, and nutritious meals that appeal to kids. They also receive nutrition education. We know that a hungry child has great difficulty learning, but what we also recognize is that a child who is undernourished fights the same battle. Kids Cafes provide the advantage of good nutrition while teaching kids how to choose healthy foods that will promote fitness for both their mind and body. Stop & Shop is helping us do that for hundreds of children across Long Island.”

“We are honored to contribute more than $205,000 to Long Island Cares to help Long Islanders combat hunger,” said Jim McGinn, Stop & Shop’s Regional Vice President. “On Long Island, more than 313,000 residents, including over 71,000 children, face food insecurity, and no one can thrive if they are hungry. Children in particular need consistent nutrition to grow and learn, which is why supporting Long Island Cares’ Kids Cafe after-school program is so meaningful to us. This program provides nutritious meals in safe, welcoming spaces, ensuring children receive the nourishment they need. We are proud to stand alongside Long Island Cares in their vital work to fight hunger and strengthen our communities.”

The donation of over $205,000 will allow Long Island Cares to better help Long Islanders combat hunger by distributing healthy food to residents across Nassau and Suffolk counties. To learn more about Stop & Shop’s community support; visit: https://stopandshop.com/pages/feed-it-forward.