State Partners With Supermarkets To Feed 40,000 New Yorkers

ALBANY – New York State is partnering with Walmart, Wegmans, Gristedes and the National Supermarket Association this Thanksgiving Week to help deliver meals to feed more than 40,000 people statewide.
The partnership was announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“Thanksgiving provides the special opportunity to give back to our fellow New Yorkers and reflect on what we are grateful for,” Cuomo said. “This partnership will provide thousands of families across the state with a warm meal to enjoy. I encourage all New Yorkers to find ways to offer a helping hand and give back this week and throughout the holiday season to all those in need.”
Thanks to food donations from Walmart, Wegmans, Gristedes and the National Supermarket Association, Thanksgiving turkeys are being packaged and delivered to feed over 40,000 New Yorkers statewide.
As the nation’s largest grocer, last year alone, Walmart donated more than $27 million across the state of New York in cash and in-kind donations in the fight against hunger. This figure includes more than 14.3 million pounds of food – the equivalent of more than 11.9 million meals.
Wegmans will also be working with Foodlink to donate and distribute food in Rochester.
Jason Klipa, Director of Public Affairs for Walmart in New York, said, “Forty-two million Americans — one in eight of us — struggle with hunger according to the USDA. As the nation’s largest grocer, we’re strongly committed to being a part of the solution in the fight against hunger in New York and across the nation. We’re grateful for the opportunity to once again be involved in events like today as part of our goal to help provide meals to those that don’t have enough to eat.”
Linda Lovejoy, Wegmans Community Relations Manager, said, “Providing food for people at risk of hunger is one of Wegmans’ highest giving priorities all year long. We are happy to continue our partnership with Governor Cuomo to ensure families in our communities have a warm meal to gather around during this special time of year. We believe communities thrive when we all work together.”
Rudy Fuertes, National Supermarket Association President, said, “No one deserves to go hungry on Thanksgiving, and at the National Supermarket Association, we are working round the clock to make sure that doesn’t happen. We are proud to partner with Governor Cuomo and New York State to ensure that New Yorkers across the state are able to enjoy a warm Thanksgiving meal.”