A&P, Operation Shoebox New Jersey Team Up on Military Care Packages
MONTVALE, N.J. -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. here said it launched a three-week, in-store fundraising campaign to benefit Operation Shoebox New Jersey, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that collects and ships personal items via care packages to people in the U.S. armed services in the Middle East.
The three-week in-store campaign has been running since Feb. 1 and will wrap up Feb.
23, in conjunction with A&P's annual Great American Brand Sale.
Shoppers at 268 of the retailer's A&P, Waldbaum's, and SuperFresh banners have been able to buy Operation Shoebox New Jersey postcards from their cashiers for $8.95 each, which is the cost to ship one care package overseas.
The postcard has a section called "a special message from home," allowing the sender to send a personalized message. Senders can even specify the name of the recipient.
The stores have been collecting the personalized postcards and sending them to Operation Shoebox New Jersey, where they are placed in care packages.
"[Operation Shoebox's] attention to detail is unparalleled,' said A&P's senior director of communications and community relations Lauren La Bruno in a statement. "[Organization executive director] Rod Hirsch ensures that a personal letter is included in every care package, stating the efforts that went into creating that box. And each package is individually addressed to a soldier; a process that allows the box to pass quickly through security and guarantees it will reach its recipient."
Since it was founded in 2005, Operation Shoebox New Jersey has packed and shipped over 14,000 care packages to military personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Middle East locations.
A&P operates 456 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia under the following benners: A&P, Pathmark, Waldbaum's, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, SuperFresh and Food Basics.
The three-week in-store campaign has been running since Feb. 1 and will wrap up Feb.
23, in conjunction with A&P's annual Great American Brand Sale.
Shoppers at 268 of the retailer's A&P, Waldbaum's, and SuperFresh banners have been able to buy Operation Shoebox New Jersey postcards from their cashiers for $8.95 each, which is the cost to ship one care package overseas.
The postcard has a section called "a special message from home," allowing the sender to send a personalized message. Senders can even specify the name of the recipient.
The stores have been collecting the personalized postcards and sending them to Operation Shoebox New Jersey, where they are placed in care packages.
"[Operation Shoebox's] attention to detail is unparalleled,' said A&P's senior director of communications and community relations Lauren La Bruno in a statement. "[Organization executive director] Rod Hirsch ensures that a personal letter is included in every care package, stating the efforts that went into creating that box. And each package is individually addressed to a soldier; a process that allows the box to pass quickly through security and guarantees it will reach its recipient."
Since it was founded in 2005, Operation Shoebox New Jersey has packed and shipped over 14,000 care packages to military personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Middle East locations.
A&P operates 456 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia under the following benners: A&P, Pathmark, Waldbaum's, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, SuperFresh and Food Basics.