Donations Tied to Foodtown Brand

JULIE GALLAGHER

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. — PSK Supermarkets is getting a jump-start on Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October with a cause marketing campaign that runs through Sept. 20.

Nineteen Foodtown and Freshtown banner stores will donate five cents for every private-label product sold, to the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. There are over 1,000 Foodtown-brand products, accounting for 13% of monthly sales.

The goal for the campaign is to grow that figure to 20%. The retailer is highlighting eligible products with pink shelf tags.

"Foodtown is really pushing its staff to promote the Foodtown brand items," Ashley Engelman, spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society, told SN.

In the first week of the campaign donations totaled $5,500. The American Cancer Society is partnering with other grocery chains in New York state. A&P, Price Chopper and ShopRite have all signed on as flagship sponsors of different Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks. More than 200 are planned nationwide.

Since 1993, 6 million walkers have raised $400 million for the fight against breast cancer. Funds are either put towards research, prevention and screening education, and programs that assist patients with things like housing while they're being treated and services such as wig fittings.