Brown’s ShopRite to Help Make Boy’s Dream Come True

Brown’s ShopRite of Roxborough in Philadelphia, in partnership with U.S. Global Glow and Make-A-Wish Foundation, will grant a special child his dearest wish. Jared, a 9-year-old boy with cancer, will receive an above-ground pool this summer through Phoenix-based  Make-A-Wish Foundation, which fulfills the wishes of kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Jared’s wish will be celebrated at a party on July 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the store.

Haverford, Pa.-based U.S. Global Glow is involved as part of “Watts for Wishes,” a charitable donation program connecting the renewable-energy industry with the granting of children’s wishes. The donation will be given to mark the ShopRite of Roxborough’s storewide relamping initiative, during which the energy-saving lamps and lighting systems will be installed throughout the location to reduce its impact on the environment. The change is expected save 1.7 million kilowatt-hours per year just in lighting alone, which equates to more than 1,261 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

“We are dedicated to leading the way in enhancing the sustainability of our supermarket business,” said Jeff Brown, president and CEO of Westville, N.J.-based Brown’s Super Stores, which operates 10 Philadelphia-area stores under the ShopRite banner. “Our ShopRite of Roxborough will be the third of our supermarkets that will use LED and induction lighting, significantly reducing our energy costs and carbon footprint. We will celebrate this big accomplishment by partnering with U.S. Global Glow to grant Jared’s wish for a new pool through Make-A-Wish Foundation; this makes our effort even more gratifying,”

As well as its efforts to reduce energy use by its stores, ShopRite, the registered trademark of Keasbey, N.J.-based retailer-owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corp., has operated its own recycling center in Elizabeth, N.J. since 1977, recycling 110,000 pounds of cardboard and more than 2,700 tons of plastic during last year alone. The banner also rebates customers for their use of reusable bags. In 2011, ShopRite customers reused more than 58 million bags.

With more than 230 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, the chain serves more than 5 million customers each week.