Howard Beach Stop & Shop Unveils Veterans Only Reserved Parking Space

Stop & Shop associates and veteran service members came together as the Howard Beach Stop & Shop on 156-01 Cross Bay Boulevard unveiled a brand-new Veterans Only Reserved Parking Space and donated a check for $1,000 to the Veterans Rebuilding Life organization. The priority parking space was created to provide Vets with easier access to the store.

The unveiling of the Veterans Only Reserved Parking Space and the donation to the Veterans Rebuilding Life nonprofit, is a way for the Howard Beach Stop & Shop to show its appreciation and thank the military members that have served our country and fought for our freedoms.

“At Stop & Shop we are committed to serving our community, but especially those who have served our country,” said Carletta Contres, Store Manager of Stop & Shop Howard Beach. “In honor of Military Appreciation Month, we wanted to create this parking space and make a donation to the Veterans Rebuilding Life to express our profound gratitude for the sacrifices and contributions that veterans have made on the battlefield, at home, and at outposts around the world.”

“The Ozone Park Howard Beach Woodhaven Lions Club is proud that Stop and Shop decided to add this veterans-only parking spot at their Howard Beach store after a successful veterans-only parking spot was added to the Ozone Park location,” said Sam Esposito, President of Ozone Park Residents Block Association. “This shows their appreciation for our veterans' sacrifices, just in time for Memorial Day. Stop and Shop is a great community partner, always looking out for the communities they serve and beyond, and this is just another example of this.

The Veterans Rebuilding Life nonprofit organization located in Queens was created in 2011 to help veterans and their families. They support veterans and their families by addressing the mental and emotional health factors that play a key role in a successful transition from military to civilian life, preventing veteran suicide by addressing security factors such as social, education, and employment needs through community partnerships, and by helping veterans volunteer for a humanitarian mission, where they are given the option to care of a child or veteran, that was harmed in the crossfire of war. You can learn more and offer support at veteransrebuildinglife.org.

“On behalf of all the volunteers and veterans at Veterans Rebuilding Life, I want to thank Stop and Shop and the Howard Beach location for their direct and tangible efforts to support servicemembers and their families,” said Dre Popow, Executive Director of Veterans Rebuilding Life. “Many of the wounds of war go unseen. Both this parking space and donation are an acknowledgement that those wounds continue to deserve attention and support and that we have not been forgotten. Thank you.”