The East Boston YMCA’s families were once again the recipients of a generous holiday donation from Stop & Shop recently.
Stop & Shop kicked off its Turkey Express program at the Y with the donation of 250 turkeys that will feed over 700 local children and their families this holiday.
The Y’s parking lot on Bremen Street was a beehive of activity Thursday, November 12 evening as families stopped by the pick up a fresh turkey. Children poses for pictures with Stop & Shop officials, which included Philip Tracey, Stop & Shop press relations manager.
“Many of our parents said that the cost of preparing a traditional holiday meal was beyond their means, but receiving a free turkey made it possible,” said East Boston Y Executive Director Ann-Margaret Gutierrez. “We estimate that the Stop & Shop give-a-way will help feed 700 children in our community this Thanksgiving. That’s a lot to be thankful for, and we are enormously grateful to Stop & Shop.”
Tracey said he was amazed at how many families the Eastie Y was able to help this Thanksgiving.
Stop & Shop donated 8,500 turkeys to the Y and eight other hunger relief organizations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. In total, Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program will donate 20,000 turkeys across the Northeast as part of several company-led initiatives to help combat hunger this holiday.
The donation comes on the heels of a new study by Feeding America that finds many Americans are now repeatedly depending on food pantries and other charitable food services to meet regular, rather than temporary, food needs. As 54 percent of those in need visit food pantries as a “normal” part of their monthly supplement, Stop & Shop’s turkey donation will help now more than ever before.
“At Stop & Shop, we continually strive to uphold our promise of being a better neighbor all year long,” said Joe Kelley, president of Stop & Shop New England. “For the past 100 years, we have been committed to providing healthy and affordable meals to the community and will continue to support that mission through our hunger relief programs, such as Turkey Exp
Philip Tracey, Stop & Shop press relations manager hands a turkey to families at the East Boston YMCA during the annual Turkey Express program to help combat hunger throughout New England this holiday season.
ress, for the next 100.”
In addition to turkey donations, Stop & Shop is encouraging customers to purchase a $10 Hunger Box filled with trimmings for a holiday meal, such as Stop & Shop’s own brand stuffing mix, cut yams, cranberry sauce, etc. Customers can take the box and donate it personally to their local food pantry or the store will donate it to their regional food bank. This gift will help fight hunger in the community.