Merrick Youngster Presents $1.75 Million Check to NYC Hospital

Fourteen year-old Jake Lonigro of Merrick (2nd from right) was one of three youngsters treated for cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who presented the hospital with a check for $1.75 million. Lonigro was featured on a series of fundraising coupons made available to Stop & Shop customers in 199 stores across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Lonigro was joined by Steven Kienzle, Stop & Shop Senior Vice President for Sales and Operations (2nd from left) and Dr. Paul Meyers, (center) Vice Chair, Pediatrics at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Merrick resident Jake Lonigro was one of three Memorial Sloan Kettering pediatric patients who presented doctors and cancer researchers at MSK with a check for $1.75 Million, raised through a fundraising drive by Stop & Shop. The youngsters, all cared for by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and its pediatric specialists, were featured on a series of fundraising coupons made available to Stop & Shop customers in 199 stores across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Fourteen-year-old Jake lives in Merrick, with his parents and two siblings. He was in the process of auditioning for a nationally televised talent show when he learned he had a cancer so rare it affects only 20 young people a year in the United States. More than two years later, through four surgeries, radiation, and ongoing rounds of chemotherapy, Jake continues to perform his signature hip-hop moves in dance recitals. He dreams about a performing arts career but also recently considered the possibility of becoming a physician who cares for children with cancer. "I love everyone at MSK—the doctors, nurses, everyone here. I've learned so much from them, and I think that, if I'm a pediatrician, I could tell the kids what's going on and understand what they're feeling because I've been through it."

Stop & Shop customers raised the $1.75 Million by purchasing discount coupons at checkout. Stop & Shop has raised almost $70 million for charitable causes with over $20 million given to support pediatric cancer research at MSK over the past 17 years.

“This campaign with Memorial Sloan Kettering will help ensure families get the best care possible for their children. We are so pleased that with the support of our customers we are able to help Memorial Sloan Kettering make a difference in the care that they can provide to pediatric cancer patients,” said Bob Yager, Stop & Shop Senior Vice President for Sales and Operations Central Market. “We are so appreciative of the generosity of each of our customers who continue to make this campaign a success. By working together, we are proud that Stop & Shop and our customers can make a difference.”

“The support Stop & Shop has provided us for the past seventeen years has allowed us to continue to fulfill our mission. We hope to not only cure childhood cancer, but to send our patients back to their homes, schools, families and friends, healthy and ready to move on with their lives as they were before this devastating diagnosis,” says Dr. Paul Meyers, Vice Chair, Pediatrics at MSK . “The hard work each Stop & Shop employee puts into this campaign truly pays off. We see better outcomes for kids and for their families. On behalf of the physicians and scientists who work tirelessly to conquer childhood cancers – and the children who will benefit now and in the future – I extend our deepest gratitude.”

About Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs over 61,000 associates and operates 419 stores throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children’s educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA’s Smart Way program and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold USA company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com or www.facebook.com/stopandshop.