Shaw’s/Star Market Food Drive Provides 250K Meals

Over the holiday season, customers of Shaw’s and Star Market donated more than 55,500 bags of food to local hunger relief organizations under the New England banners’ “Spirit of Giving” food drive. The bags went to provide more than 250,000 meals to the region’s needy. Additionally, Shaw’s and Star Market contributed $110,000 to aid area organizations in feeding the food-insecure.

“At Shaw’s and Star Market, we are acutely aware of the hunger problems within the communities we live and understand how important it is to help get food to those who need it,” noted Shane Sampson, president of West Bridgewater, Mass.-based Shaw’s and Star Market. “Our customers have a long reputation of generosity, and once again, they have helped make the Spirit of Giving Food Drive a success.”

In the Bag

From Nov. 29 through Dec. 26, the chains’ customers could buy preassembled bags containing nonperishable food items like cereal, corn and rice for $5, $10 or $15. Once gathered, the bags went directly to community food banks and pantries in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.

Besides the Spirit of Giving food drive, Shaw’s and Star Market customers raised $170,000 during the November “Turkey Bucks” fundraising campaign to help get Thanksgiving dinners on the tables of needy neighbors, enabling local food pantries to receive more than 3,200 complete turkey dinners. Further, Shaw’s and Star Market donated $110,000 in gift cards and product to The Greater Boston Food Bank, Good Shepherd Food Bank, The Salvation Army and the Chittenden County Emergency Food Shelf during the winter holidays.

Shaw’s and Star Market operates 157 stores employing about 19,000 associates in five New England states.