Local 'Celebrities' Bag Groceries for Charity Today

Some familiar faces will be bagging groceries tomorrow at ShopRite in Cinnaminson, as several local dignitaries—including Mayor Don Brauckmann—will participate in ShopRite Partners In Caring Day.

More than 200 ShopRite stores in six states are trying to raise $1.5 million to help fight hunger in honor of September’s National Hunger Action Month. Local “celebrities” will be bagging groceries and accepting monetary donations that will buy food for community food banks and food pantries.

“Hunger is a real problem,” said Orien Reid, ShopRite spokeswoman. “It’s a problem that affects us all.”

Partners In Caring, a hunger-fighting initiative, has been in effective for about six years and since its inception, about $29 million has been donated to 1,700 agencies that help fight hunger.

The goal of this year’s six-week campaign is to raise $1.5 million.

“Having the dignitaries there draws attention to the whole issue of hunger in our community, so that’s why we ask them to give us an hour of their time to do this,” Reid said.

Public Safety Director Michael King, Lt. Tim Young and Mayor Brauckmann will be the Cinnaminson representatives today bagging groceries and collecting donations at ShopRite. Beverly Public Safety Director Ken Gerber, Riverton Mayor Bill Brown and Riverton Police Chief John Shaw are also scheduled to participate.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In the weeks leading up to today, checkout cashiers asked customers to donate Partners in Caring.

“So many people hear about people who are hungry,” Reid said. “There’s so many people in our own community. They could be your next door neighbors.”

Reid hopes this event—and others throughout the year—teaches people that hunger is a real problem.

“It’s a problem that affects us all,” she said. “My hope is that people will learn a lot more about hunger and they will support the food banks that are the lifelines of people who are in need in our community.”