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Stop & Shop

Photo from PSEG-LI

PSEG Long Island has announced details of its fifth annual Power to Feed Long Island food drive initiative and invites Long Islanders to make a donation to support their neighbors. Beginning June 13 in Massapequa, PSEG Long Island will set up collection bins at eight different Stop & Shop supermarkets on eight different Fridays through the summer. The annual collection campaign supports Island Harvest Food Bank’s mission to feed neighbors facing food insecurity.

Hundreds of thousands of Long Island families struggle with hunger and food insecurity throughout the year. During the summer months, there is a significant reduction in food donations to local food banks, pantries and other programs. Compounding the issue, children are not in school where they can receive free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch.

Enter PSEG Long Island’s Power to Feed Long Island. Between June 13 and the end of September, PSEG Long Island will set up collection boxes at eight Stop & Shop supermarket locations across Long Island (schedule is below) where community members can donate nonperishable food and essential personal care needs. The items collected at these drives will be distributed to families through local soup kitchens, nourishment centers, food pantries and other outreach programs in the neighborhood.

Over the past four years, Long Islanders have supported PSEG Long Island’s Power to Feed Long Island events by donating the equivalent of 130,000 meals to help people in their communities struggling to feed their families.

“As we celebrate the fifth year of PSEG Long Island’s Power to Feed Long Island, we thank the generous Long Islanders who have opened their hearts and wallets to help their neighbors in need each year,” said David Lyons, interim president and COO, PSEG Long Island. “There is hunger in every ZIP code on Long Island, and PSEG Long Island is energized to partner with Island Harvest and Stop & Shop once again to help families in our communities who need it, especially during the difficult summer months.”

“PSEG Long Island has long been a valued partner with us on the frontlines in our mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank. “The generous support from PSEG Long Island, Stop & Shop, and their customers is not just a lifeline, but a beacon of hope for our neighbors who may be a paycheck away from not being able to provide for themselves and their families a basic human right, like food.”

“As a leading grocery retailer on Long Island, we understand the critical role we play in fighting hunger in our communities,” said Daniel Wolk, external communications manager at Stop & Shop. “We are proud to once again welcome PSEG Long Island and Island Harvest to our stores this summer for the Power to Feed Long Island food drive. With food banks facing increasing demand, we are deeply committed to supporting Island Harvest’s mission to end hunger across Nassau and Suffolk counties.”

As a thank you to customers who make onsite donations, PSEG Long Island volunteers will be providing contributors free LED lightbulbs and reusable shopping bags. Representatives from PSEG Long Island will be available at each location to provide information on financial programs and money-saving energy efficiency options. Island Harvest Food Bank personnel will be in attendance to share information on its hunger relief programs.

How to donate:

The schedule for PSEG Long Island’s Power to Feed Long Island 2025 is as follow:

Friday, June 13 9 AM – 4 PM Stop & Shop

702 Hicksville Rd.

Massapequa

Friday, June 27 9 AM – 3 PM Stop & Shop

3126 Jericho Tpk.

East Northport

Friday, July 11 9 AM – 3 PM Stop & Shop

3750 Hempstead Tpk.

Levittown

Friday, July 25 9 AM – 3 PM Stop & Shop

385 Route 25A

Miller Place

Friday, Aug. 8 9 AM – 3 PM Stop & Shop

95 Old Country Rd.

Carle Place

Friday, Aug. 22 9 AM – 3 PM Stop & Shop

3577 Long Beach Rd. Oceanside

Friday, Sept. 5 9 AM – 3 PM Stop & Shop

8101 Jericho Tpk.

Woodbury

Friday, Sept. 19 9 AM – 4 PM Stop & Shop

365 Route 109

West Babylon

 

What to donate:

Island Harvest requests specific items, including:

  • Nonperishable food: Healthy varieties of canned foods, such as low-sodium beans, vegetables, soups, pasta sauces and tomato varieties, tuna and chicken, rice, pasta, nut butters, olive and canola oil, spices and pet food (no glass containers please).
  • Household essentials: Toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent and dish soap.
  • Personal care items: Toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap, shampoo, conditioner, feminine care products and shaving products, antibacterial wipes and washcloths.
  • Baby care items: Diapers, wipes, formula, creams, ointments and baby wash.
  • Cash or online monetary donations: Island Harvest estimates each dollar donated provides roughly two meals.

For a full list of suggested donations, additional details about PSEG Long Island’s Power to Feed Long Island, including a video of last year’s events, or to make an online donation, visit psegliny.com/feedLI.

 

Stop & Shop will close the Coram location by November of this year. Photo courtesy of Mapquest

Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. brand, Stop & Shop, has announced the next steps in its plans to position the company for growth in a July 12 press release.

“In addition to continuing to make investments in price and the customer experience as part of its growth strategy in its markets, Stop & Shop will close 32 underperforming stores by year-end. Following the closures, Stop & Shop will continue to have a strong presence across its five-state footprint with more than 350 stores. Stop & Shop associates at impacted locations will be offered other opportunities within the company,” read the release.

Stores slated for closure on Long Island include Coram, East Meadow, Greenvale and Hempstead.

“Stop & Shop is proud of the deep roots and community ties we have developed as a neighborhood grocer of more than 100 years, and we remain committed to nourishing our associates, customers and communities,” said Gordon Reid, President, Stop & Shop. “As we announced in May, Stop & Shop has evaluated its overall store portfolio and made the difficult decision to close underperforming stores to create a healthy base for the future growth of our brand.”

“Our associates are a strong community dedicated to growing and working together, and all of our store associates will continue to have a place in the Stop & Shop family as we look forward to serving customers at other nearby locations,” added Reid.

Stop & Shop will communicate specific store closing dates to local customers well in advance of any store closures.

“Stop & Shop is focused on growing through large, multi-year price investments and a stronger customer value proposition, both in-store and online. This means we’ll be focused on delivering lower everyday prices, as well as even more savings for our customers through strong promotions,” added Reid. “Since 2018, we have completed more than 190 store remodels, with the customer shopping experience in mind. These stores are outperforming other Stop & Shop stores that haven’t been remodeled. We’re taking these learnings and implementing them at other stores as we build upon our strong foundation, similar to our new Boston flagship location, opened last month in the Allston Yards development. We look forward to continuing to serve and care for our communities and to grow Stop & Shop as a local brand for many years to come.”

After the store closures are complete, Stop & Shop will operate more than 350 stores spanning five states, including 81 stores in Connecticut, 115 in Massachusetts, 47 in New Jersey, 91 in New York and 25 in Rhode Island.

The 32 impacted store locations, which are anticipated to close on or before Nov. 2, 2024, include:

Connecticut
  • 100 Division St., Ansonia
  • 211 High St., Torrington (931 Torringford St., Torrington will remain open)
  • 1937 West Main St., Stamford (2200 Bedford St., Stamford will remain open)
  • 855 Bridgeport Ave., Milford (1360 East Town Road, Milford will remain open)
  • 72 Newtown Road, Danbury (44 Lake Avenue Ext., Danbury will remain open)
Massachusetts
  • 932 North Montello St., Brockton
  • 36 New State Highway, Raynham
  • 341 Plymouth St., Halifax
  • 539-571 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury
  • 165 Needham St., Newton (bfresh Market)
  • 415 Cooley St., Springfield (1600 Boston Rd. and 1277 Liberty St., Springfield will remain open)
  • 545 Lincoln St. Worcester (940 West Boylston St. and 949 Grafton St., Worcester will remain open)
  • 24 Mattakeesett St., Pembroke (125 Church St., Pembroke will remain open)
New Jersey
  • 1083 Inman Ave., Edison
  • 1049 US Highway 1 South, Edison
  • 4861 US Highway 9, Howell
  • 1278 US Highway 22, Phillipsburg
  • 581 Stelton Rd., Piscataway
  • 625 Paterson Ave., Carlstadt
  • 1221 State Route 27, Franklin Township
  • 130 Skyline Dr., Ringwood
  • 505 Richmond Ave, Point Pleasant Beach
  • 2275 West County Line Rd., Jackson
New York
  • 2965 Cropsey Ave., Brooklyn
  • 130 Wheatley Plaza, Greenvale
  • 7 Samsondale Plaza, West Haverstraw
  • 294 Middle Country Road, Coram
  • 240 East Sanford Blvd., Mt. Vernon
  • 132 Fulton Ave., Hempstead
  • 2525 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow
Rhode Island
  • 11 Commerce Way, Johnston
  • 176 Pittman St., Providence (Eastside Marketplace)

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker visited three local supermarket stores in March to distribute COVID-19 at-home test kits to their employees. She met with managers and employees of the Stop and Shops in Rocky Point and Miller Place, as well as the King Kullen in Middle Island, where she distributed over 700 test kits between the three stores. 

This effort follows Legislator Anker’s recent Drive-Thru Test Kit Distribution event which was open to all residents, as well as the dissemination of boxes of test kit to the various senior communities and day care centers in the area.

“I want to thank the essential workers of our local supermarkets, who worked tirelessly throughout the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is my hope that these COVID-19 test-kits will help to keep the stores’ workers and patrons safe and healthy as we start to work our way back to a sense of normalcy,” said Legislator Anker.

“I also want to express my appreciation for our Local Unions 338 and 1500, who represent the workers of Stop and Shop and King Kullen. Through these challenging times, our local unions have continued to dedicate themselves to ensuring workers and their families are protected and supported,” she said.

Allergy Free Sugar Cookies. Photo from Stop & Shop
Allergy Friendly Sugar Cookies
Are you looking for the perfect holiday cookie recipe that can be made allergy free? Look no further than these delicious allergy friendly sugar cookies, courtesy of Stop & Shop!
YIELD: Makes 36 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2 sticks plant-based buttery sticks (1 cup), softened
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons oat milk, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Assorted food gels
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat buttery sticks and granulated sugar 3 minutes or until fluffy, scraping down bowl occasionally. Add 3 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract; beat 2 minutes or until incorporated, scraping down bowl occasionally. Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; beat 1 minute or until just incorporated.
  2. Transfer dough to work surface; divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece to 1/4-inch thick between 2 sheets parchment paper; stack dough on rimmed baking pan and freeze 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°; line 3 rimmed baking pans with parchment paper. Place chilled dough on work surface; remove parchment paper. With winter-themed cookie cutters, carefully cut out cookies; transfer cookies to 2 prepared pans, 2 inches apart. Bake cookies 10 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned, rotating pans halfway through baking; cool cookies on pans 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Gather dough scraps, roll out between 2 sheets parchment paper and freeze 30 minutes; cut out and bake cookies on remaining prepared pan as directed above. Makes about 36 cookies.
  4. In medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, cream of tartar and remaining 2 tablespoons milk. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
  5. Divide icing into smaller bowls; add color gels to create desired colors. Transfer icing to piping bags with small round tips.
  6. In small microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips in microwave oven on high 1 minute or until melted, stirring every 20 seconds; stir in oil. Transfer chocolate mixture to piping bag; snip tip of piping bag with kitchen scissors to make small hole.
  7. Decorate cookies with desired icing colors, chocolate and sprinkles, if desired; let dry at room temperature 6 hours or up to overnight. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Photo from Stop & Shop

Island Harvest Food Bank, a leading Long Island hunger-relief organization, received $96,500 from Stop & Shop’s Food for Friends campaign on June 24. According to Randi Shubin Dresner, president & CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank, funding received from the Food for Friends initiative will be used to hire a part-time, bi-lingual dietician to promote healthy eating habits among underserved populations in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Funding will also support Island Harvest Food Bank’s food collection and distribution programs.

Stop & Shop’s Food for Friends campaign raised more than $2 million for its 12 regional food bank partners, breaking all previous years’ donation records. Throughout May 2021, customers were able to give at checkout knowing that donation would stay local and fight hunger in their communities. 100% of the money raised went to Stop & Shop’s regional food banks in its service areas. Customers were also able to donate non-perishable food items at marked donation bins at each Stop & Shop store to benefit local hunger relief organizations, like Island Harvest.

“Stop & Shop is a longtime and valued partner in our mission to provide essential food assistance and promote positive health outcomes of the people we serve,” said Ms. Shubin Dresner. “We appreciate their ongoing support and generosity and thank their customers for their caring, too.”

“Stop & Shop’s Food for Friends campaign is symbolic of our relationship with Island Harvest,” said Stefanie Shuman, Community Relations Manager for Stop & Shop. “We couldn’t ask for a better friend and partner in the fight against hunger on Long Island.”

Members of the Miller Place Fire Department and other community volunteers successfully packed a department bus full of food and other supplies for the St. Louis de Montfort church’s food pantry. Photo by Kyle Barr

Though students now aren’t meant to sit too close on the bus, the Miller Place Fire Department, for the 10th year in a row, is using every inch of space in a bus that bears its own logo.

Members of the Miller Place Fire Department and other community volunteers successfully packed a department bus full of food and other supplies for the St. Louis de Montfort church’s food pantry. Photo by Kyle Barr

MPFD’s 10th annual Stuff-a-Bus event managed to fill every seat in their red-and-white bus to the brim with food and other essential items donated by the community. All food was delivered to the St. Louis de Montfort R.C. Church in Sound Beach for its food pantry.

Items were donated by fire department members and the surrounding community at the annual Stuff-a-Bus event held at the Miller Place Stop & Shop Nov. 20, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. In addition to the donated items, Miller Place EMS Capt. Rob Chmiel, who headed the event, said they received nearly $1,000 in cash and gift card donations. The cash was used to purchase items the department was short of, and the gift cards were given directly to the food pantry staff, so they could use them to address their needs in the future.

Though normally the fire department holds its donation drive over two days, on the night of this year’s event, Chmiel said that they were receiving an incredible amount of donations, more than they usually do. They even received a car full of groceries by a volunteer at 4 p.m. By around 5:30 p.m., just two hours into the six-hour event, they had filled half the bus through several dozen residents donating a few boxes, cartons or jars at a time. By the end that same bus was packed to the seams. 

“We set out to make this the biggest year we possibly could, given the pandemic and everybody being stuck at home for most of the year,” Chmiel said. “We broke every record we possibly could.”

Elaine Bender, outreach director for St. Louis de Montfort Church, said the department did a “fabulous job” as they got way more than initially expected. The gift cards are also a big help as those are needed to help needy people purchase big ticket Thanksgiving items like turkeys.

The late afternoon-evening event was a large-scale operation, with a score of department volunteers bringing food to the bus and loading it up as music rang out over the crowded lot on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Other fire department volunteers stood by the doors to the supermarket asking local residents for donations.

“There’s a lot of hungry people right now,” volunteer Lori Aliano said. 

Since the pandemic’s start, Bender said the church has seen an increase in the overall number of clients they help. She added she expects there could be an increase in need should there be another statewide shutdown in the near future.

Chmiel thanked Marchand’s School of Dance for their yearly donations and Stop & Shop of Miller Place for allowing them to host the drive.

St. Louis de Montfort Church also hosts a drive for Christmas and will be accepting gift cards from any shop that sells toys supplies and/or clothing. Donations can be dropped off at the church located at 75 New York Ave. in Sound Beach.

Tammie Smith, Stop & Shop’s Long Island Regional Director (left) join Randi Shubin Dresner, President and CEO of Island Harvest; and Peter Braglia, Chief Operations Officer of Long Island Cares for a photo at the Stop & Shop in Smithtown with the donated turkeys. Photo courtesy of Stop & Shop

Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program donated 1,000 Thanksgiving Turkeys each to Island Harvest Food Bank and to Long Island Cares Inc., The Harry Chapin Food Bank, on Nov. 12, surpassing its goal of delivering more than 21,500 turkeys to hunger relief organizations in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island this holiday season.

Island Harvest has seen an overall increase of 47% of food distributed throughout Long Island this year and has helped more than 300,000 families since March.

Long Island Cares Inc. has reported a 43.1% increase in food insecurity vs.  pre-COVID and has assisted over 172,000 Long Islanders since March.

The King Kullen in St. James. File photo by Phil Corso

Stop & Shop’s long-pending acquisition of King Kullen is no more. The announcement was made on June 10.

The two chains, along with Stop & Shop parent Ahold Delhaize USA, said they have mutually decided to terminate the deal because of “significant, unforeseen changes in the marketplace that have emerged since the agreement was signed in December 2018, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

“Both companies have put forth an incredible amount of effort to work through unanticipated challenges that have arisen, and we regret that we’re not able to move forward,” Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid said in a statement. 

“King Kullen has a strong legacy on the island, and we wish them continued success. Stop & Shop remains committed to the Long Island community, to serving our customers in the market well, and to investing in our associates and our stores in Nassau and Suffolk counties,” he said.

At the time of the acquisition deal, there were 32 King Kullen supermarkets, but three underperforming locations were closed last year including Mount Sinai on June 20 and Ronkonkoma on Aug. 22. The remaining supermarkets include St. James, Huntington, Wading River, Middle Island and Manorville. The company also has five Wild by Nature stores on Long Island including Setauket and Huntington.

“We look forward to continuing to focus on what we do best: serving our great customers across Long Island and supporting our hard-working store associates,” said Brian Cullen, co-president of King Kullen. “We are enthusiastic about the future and well-positioned to serve Nassau and Suffolk counties for many years to come. In short, we are here for the long term.”

An empty toilet paper display case at the St. James King Kullen March 14. Photo by Joseph Cali

With shelves emptying quicker than they can replenish, as shoppers afraid of possible COVID-19 quarantines stock up, grocery store chains are trying to come up with answers. 

In a press release, King Kullen announced starting Monday, March 16, all its stores, including its pharmacies and Wild by Nature locations will open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The chain said the new hours of operation were until further notice, and the change would allow them “to better serve its customers, provide relief to employees, give store teams time to conduct additional preventative sanitation, and allow more efficient restocking of product on shelves.”

Stop & Shop starting Thursday, March 19, will allow those who are over 60 years old to buy groceries at their stores from 6 to 7:30 a.m., according to a March 16 press release.

“Although we will not be requesting ID for entry, we ask that you please respect the purpose of the early opening — and do the right thing for your neighbors,” the statement read. “Store associates do reserve the right to ask customers to leave if they are not a member of this age group.”

Stop & Shop also announced most stores have adjusted their hours to 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. which will help with unloading deliveries and stocking shelves.

The chain also announced that its Peapod home delivery service will have a contact-free option where bags can be left on a doorstep or entryway.

It’s a Marty Party!

Marty

Marty, the tall, googly-eyed robot that roams Stop & Shop stores searching for spills and potential hazards is turning 1. To celebrate, select Stop & Shop stores on Long Island will throw Marty a 1st birthday party on Saturday, January 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. complete with birthday cake, crafts for kids and giveaways.

Marty the robot is used to identify hazards and spills on the floor, allowing associates to focus on customers. When the robot detects a potential hazard on the floor, he notifies store associates who take corrective action.

Some fun facts about Marty on his first birthday:

  • Marty is from Kentucky and was created by Badger Technologies
  • Marty speaks both English and Spanish
  • On average, Marty spots 40 spills and potential hazards at each store every day
  • Marty has more than 300 cousins who also live at Stop & Shop stores across the company’s five state footprint
  • Marty’s favorite dance move is the robot (naturally)

Participating locations in our neck of the woods are:

57-01 Sunrise Highway, Holbrook

700-60 Patchogue Yaphank, Medford

2350 North Ocean Avenue, Farmingville

1100 Jericho Turnpike, Huntington

365 Rt 109, West Babylon

294 Middle Country Road, Coram

351 Merrick Road, Amityville

400 Union Blvd, West Islip

421 Commack Road, Deer Park

291 West Main Street, Smithtown

1730 Veterans Memorial Highway, Islandia

425 Portion Road, Lake Ronkonkoma

260 Pond Path, South Setauket

2650 Sunrise Highway, East Islip

More information about Marty can be found at: https://martyatstopandshop.com/