Wakefern/ShopRite Donates Funds to Refurbish Training Facility for New Community Corp. of Newark
Keasbey, NJ — October 28, 2009 — Officials of Essex County’s Division of Training and Employment joined ShopRite, Wakefern and New Community Corp. (NCC) today for the re-opening of the New Community Corp. ShopRite training center in Newark. The new and improved NCC training facility was made possible through support from Wakefern/ShopRite.
The refurbished facility, which now includes the latest computerized touch screen cash registers and 14 computerized work modules, serves as the cornerstone of the Partners in Training program. Partners in Training is a training and educational and employment partnership between Wakefern and New Community Corp., the largest community development organization in the United States. Launched in New Jersey in 2000, the Partners in Training program prepares recipients of public assistance to re-enter the workforce by training them for positions with ShopRite supermarkets. The training center serves as a mock supermarket where participants receive cashiering, customer service and job readiness training that leads to employment with one of twelve participating New Jersey ShopRite stores.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Wakefern/ShopRite will also present the New Community Corp. of Newark with a $15,000 donation from funds raised at the recent Sybase Classic presented by ShopRite, an annual LPGA tournament.
“Partners in Training makes a significant difference in the lives of those in need throughout the communities ShopRite serves,” said Joseph Colalillo, CEO and chairman of Wakefern Food Corp., the merchandising and distribution arm for ShopRite supermarkets. “We are proud to be a part of a program that helps hardworking and dedicated people find their niche in the ShopRite family.”
“Our partnership with Wakefern enables New Community Corp. to continue its important work in the community, empowering individuals to work toward a brighter future,” said Monsignor William J. Linder, founder and chief executive officer of New Community Corp. of Newark. “This new training center and generous donation will go a long way toward helping us to maintain the level of support our clients have come to rely upon.”
As of September 2009, there were 800 Partners in Training graduates, of whom 766 were hired to work in ShopRite stores throughout Northern New Jersey, including Clark, Kearny, East Orange and Bloomfield. Last year alone, the placement rate was about 90
percent, with students landing jobs as cashiers, as well as positions in product or customer service departments.
In 2006, Partners in Training received the Food Marketing Institute’s “Maximizing People Potential Award (MAXX).” The MAXX Award is presented annually to a retailer or wholesaler to recognize programs and initiatives that improve employee performance or advance a key business goal.
About Wakefern Food Corp.
From a small, struggling cooperative with eight members – all owners of their own grocery stores – Wakefern Food Corporation has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and one of the largest employers in New Jersey. The cooperative is comprised of 45 members who individually own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite banner. Today, Wakefern, the merchandising and distribution arm of the company, and the more than 200 ShopRite stores located throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland employ more than 50,000 people.
About New Community Corp.
As the largest community development corporation in the United States, New Community’s success rests on its comprehensive approach to community development. It is active in housing, health care, education, training, childcare and economic development. It runs for-profit businesses, a community newspaper and arts programs and a credit union. It has provided training to community development professionals from around the country and the world, having hosted representatives from more than 20 countries in recent years.
