The Community FoodBank of New Jersey aims to help people across the state who struggle to put food on the table for their families. Our hunger-fighting partners are the cornerstone of the work we do every day. Wakefern Food Corp plays a major role in our efforts to provide food for our neighbors in need – and has since our incorporation in 1982.
“Wakefern sets the ‘gold standard’ in a corporate partner, contributing to all aspects of our operation by providing funds, food and volunteers,” said FoodBank President and CEO Debra Vizzi.
Through our retail gleaning program, which reduces food waste and feeds hungry New Jerseyans, Wakefern donated 3.7 million pounds of food last year, of which nearly 38 percent was produce, making Wakefern CFBNJ’s largest single source of food donations.
Last year, Wakefern corporate employees dedicated more than 300 hours volunteering at the FoodBank, where the team assembled Family Packs to serve at-risk students’ households over the weekend, packed boxes of supplemental food for seniors and sorted through donated items. Wakefern also volunteers technical assistance on quality assurance efforts and other operational best practices.
A founding partner of Check-Out Hunger®, Wakefern has expanded the holiday campaign beyond its ShopRite brand to include its other banners, PriceRite and The Fresh Grocer. In 2015, Wakefern’s generous customers donated more than $1 million for the 3-month-long campaign. Among other charitable efforts, Wakefern fights hunger year-round through ShopRite Partners In Caring, which has donated more than $40 million to local food banks and their agency partners since 1999.
“We serve more than 8 million customers each year and we know that there are members of our community that struggle to provide wholesome food for themselves and their family,” said Karen Meleta, Wakefern Vice President of Consumer & Corporate Communications. “That’s why our partnership with the FoodBank and our commitment to fighting hunger is the focus of our giving.”
The FoodBank is honored that Wakefern chooses to align its brand and extraordinary corporate citizenship with our mission to rescue food and increase our services. Wakefern’s involvement has made a profound impact on our work feeding hungry New Jerseyans.
For more information on how your company can get involved, please contact Debby Scheinholtz, Director of Corporate Relations, at 908-242-3951 or dscheinholtz@cfbnj.org.