Stop & Shop's Restore Program Donates $10,000 To Waste not Want

Press release from Stop & Shop:

October 26, 2020

HARTFORD, CT (October 16, 2020) – To help food pantries prepare for a rise in demand during the holiday season due to COVID-19, Restore, Stop & Shop’s reduced-emissions fuel program, today announced a donation of $10,000 grants to five hunger-relief organizations. Locally, the donation will support Waste Not Want Not Food Pantry in Granby, Connecticut, providing services to those facing food insecurity across the community. Additionally, the Restore Program will calculate and offset the organization’s operational carbon emissions making them carbon neutral to help protect our environment.

According to Feeding America, the economic impact of COVID-19 could push the number of food insecure Americans to 54 million by the end of 2020. In Connecticut, over 10 percent of residents reported experiencing food insecurity in July, with many towns locally being projected to reach up to 40% of the population. For over 12 years, Waste Not Want Not Food Pantry has been supporting food insecure community members across Granby, Simsbury and beyond. Over the past six months, distributions have more than tripled, now serving more than 300 individuals weekly. As the holiday season approaches, this $10,000 grant will help those struggling with the current COVID-related food insecurity crisis who continue to be burdened by hunger.

“Although the Restore program is centered around reducing the impact of fuel emissions, our funding has shifted to help local hunger-relief organizations such as Waste Not Want Not, who provide assistance to those facing food insecurity as a result of the pandemic,” said Stop & Shop Regional Vice President of Operations, Stephen Iasimone. “As the holiday season approaches and communities continue to face challenges of food insecurity, this grant will provide additional assistance to Waste Not Want Not, who serve a critical role in feeding those in need across Hartford county.”

“COVID-19 has presented a number of challenges to Waste Not Want Not but we have remained committed to keeping our volunteers and clients safe while also ensuring that all those who rely on us for much needed meals continue to have access to our services,” said Waste Not Want Not’s Sandy Flagg. “Transitioning to alternative methods of food distribution has allowed us to continue to serve those in need in this most difficult of times. We are so grateful to Stop & Shop and Restore for this donation which ensures that we can continue to adapt with the times to provide nourishment to our friends and neighbors who need it most.”

With the Restore program, every time a customer fills up at a Stop & Shop fuel location, the Restore reduced emissions program offsets those tailpipe emissions through investments in certified environmental projects, creating a positive impact locally and around the world. To learn more about Stop & Shop’s dedication to giving back, visit www.stopandshop.com.

About Stop & Shop

A neighborhood grocer for more than 100 years, today's Stop & Shop is refreshed, reenergized and inspired, delivering new conveniences for customers. Committed to helping its communities enjoy better food and better lives, Stop & Shop has a longstanding history of giving back to the neighborhoods it serves with a focus on fighting hunger and pediatric cancer research and care. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC, an Ahold Delhaize USA Company, employs more than 60,000 associates and operates over 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com.

About Restore

Stop & Shop’s Restore reduced emissions program was launched on September 23rd, 2019 and is currently live in all 105 Stop & Shop fuel locations. To date the program as offset over 102 million gallons of fuel, offsetting 51,000 metric tons of carbon and has planted over 25,000 trees in partnership with Arbor Day Foundation.

About GreenPrint

GreenPrint facilitates The Giant Company’s Reduced Emissions Program. GreenPrint is a global environmental technology company, offers sustainability as a service with patent-protected programs that deliver environmental impact and bottom-line results. An Inc. 5000 company and a member of 1% Percent for the Planet, GreenPrint’s turnkey offerings help companies meet sustainability goals while increasing brand value and customer loyalty – making it easy for businesses to do well by doing good. GreenPrint, A Public Benefit Corporation, is on pace to offset over 30 million metric tons of carbon by 2025. GreenPrint Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved ©2020.

About Waste Not Want Not

The Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen (WNWN) is an all-volunteer registered 501(c)(3) charity formed as a result of recognizing that every community can share in the support of all peoples. Waste Not Want Not’s mission is to use resources from our community (volunteer labor, donated food, goods, and monies) to provide a free and wholesome hot meal every week in a family style atmosphere which creates an opportunity for "community." By "community" we mean a sense of welcome, belonging and comfort for all. The result is a channel in which people's needs can be discerned, shared, and met by this community; therefore enriching the lives of all who come.

This press release was produced by Stop & Shop. The views expressed here are the author's own.