ShopRite Helps Get Healthy Snacks to Children

ShopRite, Rutgers University and the Embrace Kids Foundation partnered again this year to provide healthy snacks to 1,700 children in the City of New Brunswick’s summer Play S.A.F.E. program as part of an effort to provide children with good food during the summer months.

Incoming Rutgers University students packed out 25,000 bags of nutritious snacks from June to August as part of their first-year student orientation. The bags were sent to 17 Play S.A.F.E. locations across the City of New Brunswick. Many children attending the city’s Play S.A.F.E program come from low and moderate income families that benefit from the additional nutritional food.

“Our Play S.A.F.E. program serves more than 1,700 New Brunswick children Monday through Friday with a comprehensive summer program that helps to keep them healthy and energized throughout the summer months,” said Jennifer Bradshaw, public information officer for the city of New Brunswick. “The snacks provided by our partners with Rutgers Against Hunger, ShopRite and the Embrace Kids Foundation help to keep our kids nourished in a healthy way and we are very grateful for their support.”

ShopRite this year donated 75,000 snacks including Dole mandarin oranges, assorted granola bars and oatmeal packets. Partner Johanna Foods also donated 25,000 100 percent Apple Juice boxes for the snack bags.

Rutgers University students identified the need for the snack bags and founded the partnership with ShopRite and Embrace Kids in 2014.

“ShopRite is passionate about fighting hunger and helping people in need in the communities where our ShopRite stores operate. We were pleased to work together with partners like the Embrace Kids Foundation and Rutgers University to bring healthy snacks to the Play S.A.F.E. program in New Brunswick,” said Jeff Reagan, senior vice president of marketing for Wakefern Food Corp., the nation’s largest retailer-owned cooperative and the wholesale distribution and merchandising arm for ShopRite Supermarkets.