In collaboration with the Island Grown Initiative (IGI) and the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, Stop & Shop will be donating turkeys and sides to Island seniors and families this Thanksgiving, according to a press release.
Michael Johnson, store manager of the Stop & Shop in Vineyard Haven, said in the release that with food insecurity remaining a challenge, especially during the COVID pandemic, the grocery store is proud to partner with other community organizations “to ensure our neighbors in need are able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with loved ones.”
The Stop & Shop locations in Edgartown and Vineyard Haven have already donated more than 200 turkeys and a variety of produce, as well as stuffing mix, gravy, and cranberry sauce, to IGI and the Center for Living. The donation will be distributed to families through Serving Hands, the Family to Family program, the Wampanoag Women’s Center, and the Island Food Pantry. The Center for Living will also distribute part of the donation to food pantries at the Edgartown senior center, the up-Island senior center, and Tisbury senior center.
Over 22,000 turkeys will be donated by Stop & Shop to community partners throughout the Northeast.
Food equity director at IGI Sophie Mazza said all member organizations of the Food Equity Network are seeing increased demand for services this year, with food pantries serving twice as many people as they did last year.
“Along with the food from Stop & Shop, IGI will be distributing gleaned produce to dozens of organizations this holiday season,” Mazza said in the release. “It’s as important as ever to make sure our neighbors have enough good food to eat this holiday season, and we are thankful that Stop & Shop has made this significant contribution to the community.”
Leslie Clapp, executive director at the Center for Living, said her organization greatly appreciates the “wonderful community spirit in these very challenging times,” particularly as part of an initiative that has been operating for more than 10 years on-Island.
Stop & Shop is also inviting shoppers to help raise money for its 13 regional food bank partners, as well as donate most-needed items for local food pantries, by taking part in its in-store “Food for Friends” program, which runs now through Nov. 26, Clapp said in the release.