Senator Stewart-Cousins Combats Hunger

Yonkers, NY – Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins joined other elected officials and a team of ShopRite associates on Wednesday for ShopRite’s annual “Help Bag Hunger” event at the ShopRite location at 278 Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers.

Every year, ShopRite employees join together to raise awareness about the ongoing national battle against hunger. The event coincides with others of its kind throughout the country during Hunger Action Month,  a nationwide initiative conceived to marshal volunteers in the fight to combat hunger.

Senator Stewart-Cousins stood at the end of a check-out aisle and helped customers bag their groceries. During the bagging process, she asked shoppers to donate money to purchase food for local charities, including food banks, soup kitchens, shelters and other organizations that provide support and resources for the hungry.

Twenty percent of Westchester residents – or 200,000 people – are hungry or at risk of becoming seriously hungry. 74% of kids in Yonkers public schools receive free or reduced lunch, putting many of these kids at risk of staying hungry on weekends and holidays and in the summer.

“No one in this day and age should go hungry,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins. “I’m proud to be part of a community that has decided to take a real stand against this problem. It’s not an easy one to tackle, but this event has proved successful in the past and I’m glad to join in the efforts today.”

ShopRite officials anticipate that this program will generate more than $1 million for charitable organizations. Since its inception in 1999, ShopRite Partners In Caring has raised $40 million and donated the funds to over 2,000 groups that provide food to the hungry in communities with ShopRite stores.

To find out how to take action, please visit: http://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/campaigns/hunger-action-month.html