The National Grocers Association honored New Jersey-based RoNetco Supermarkets Inc. ShopRite with this year’s Peter J. Larkin Community Service Award.
RoNetco Supermarkets encompasses nine ShopRite locations owned and operated by the Romano family, which has maintained deep ties to the communities they serve for many years.
In 2023, the company’s stores raised more than $141,000 during the ShopRite Partners in Caring Campaign, a cooperative-wide annual initiative to raise awareness around food insecurity.
The company’s activities included in-store food drives, volunteer days for employees at local food pantries, Help Bag Hunger events with community leaders, a bake sale and other in-store fundraisers. The company matched donations, with a $30,000 gift to a local food bank.
The award presentation occurred Sunday during the opening session of the 2024 NGA Show at the Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas. The popular three-day conference continues through Tuesday.
“The Romano family and the RoNetco ShopRite team exemplify unwavering dedication to supporting the most vulnerable in our communities. Their extensive list of contributions speaks volumes about their commitment to service,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO.
RoNetco’s commitment to ending hunger continued throughout the year, with stores raising another $55,000 in November and December through the Check Out Hunger Campaign. That was enough to provide more than 165,000 meals.
Each week, a RoNetco van picks up bread and other baked goods from stores and delivers them to 19 regional food pantries. The company also supports a Stuff the Bus campaign the week before Thanksgiving to help the Sussex County Social Services Food Pantry. That effort filled five full buses of food and goods last year.
The Romano family’s community support extends to many other charities, ranging from blood drives to Hope One, a mobile outreach program by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office to support community members with addiction, recovery and mental health services.
The creation of the Larkin award, sponsored by Kimberly-Clark Corp., was announced during the 2019 NGA Show to recognize an independent retailer or wholesaler company for its unique and strong community service.
“I’m honored to congratulate RoNetco Supermarkets as the recipient of this year’s Peter Larkin Community Service Award for its commitment to hunger-related initiatives and far-reaching support to its communities,” said Denny Belcastro, Kimberly-Clark VP of industry affairs and customer development. “Kimberly-Clark is proud to continue supporting such an important award.”
Belcastro also announced the continuation of the company’s partnership with NGA member retailers to donate diapers for needy families to the National Diaper Bank Network, established by its Huggies brand in 2011. Since then, the network has contributed more than 250 million diapers to more than 200 banks across the country, serving more than 225,000 children each month.
“In concert with Kimberly-Clark’s ‘Better Care for a Better World’ commitment, we are honored to collaborate with the National Grocers Association and its independent retailer members to donate Huggies diapers and wipes to the National Diaper Bank to help families with baby diapering needs. Far too many parents struggle to provide enough diapers for their baby or toddler,” Belcastro said.
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