ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer Newest 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA Sponsor
(January 15, 2015) – Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful today announced that ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer, both of the Wakefern Food Corp. family of brands, are the newest sponsors of the 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA, their annual signature event.
“ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer stores are owned and operated by families who live in the communities they serve. With deep and personal connections to the great state of Pennsylvania, these family businesses are committed to keeping it clean and beautiful for generations to come,” said Karen Meleta, spokesperson for Wakefern Food Corp., whose family of brands include the ShopRite and Fresh Grocer banners. “Partnering with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is a great way of solidifying this commitment to preserving and giving back to the communities we serve.”
“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, along with ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer, share the goal of promoting a sustainable environment and livable communities. The Great American Cleanup empowers citizens to do that locally. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is honored and grateful for the support of Wakefern Food Corp.,” stated Shannon Reiter, President Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.
ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer join other 2015 event supporters: the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT, Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association, the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, Weis Markets, Inc., Waste Management, Republic Services, Steel Recycling Institute, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Giant Eagle Inc., Giant Food Stores, Inc., Wawa and Wegmans Food Markets.
The 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA runs from March 1st to May 31st. During this period, registered events can get trash bags, gloves, and safety vests from PennDOT district offices, as supplies last. Events can be litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special collections, and educational events. As part of this event, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association will sponsor Let’s Pick It Up PA – Everyday from April 11th- May 4th. During the Pick It Up PA Days, registered events will be able to take the trash collected during their cleanup to participating landfills for reduced or free disposal.
Since the inception of this event in 2004, more than 1,565,967 volunteers removed 80,575,227 pounds of litter from the Pennsylvania landscape and planted 136,321 trees, bulbs, and flowers.
Registration for the Great American Cleanup of PA begins in mid-January. More information on Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup of PA can be found at www.gacofpa.org. Any additional questions can be answered by Michelle Dunn, Great American Cleanup of PA Program Coordinator, at 1-877-772-3673 ext. 113 or mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.
About Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s mission is empowering Pennsylvanians to make our communities clean and beautiful. Since 1990, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and its volunteers have removed over 111 million pounds of litter from Pennsylvania’s roadways, greenways, parks, forests, and waterways. To learn more about Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, visit www.keeppabeautiful.org.
About ShopRite
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 250 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than six million customers each week. A long-time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite has donated $33 million to 1,700 worthy charities and food banks since the program began in 1999. As a title sponsor of the LPGA’s ShopRite Classic, ShopRite has raised more than $27 million for local organizations, hospitals and community groups. Progressive Grocer named ShopRite its 2011 Retailer of the Year and Supermarket News awarded ShopRite its 2011 Retail Excellence Award. For more information, please visit www.ShopRite.com.
About The Fresh Grocer
The Fresh Grocer is a registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. The Fresh Grocer joined Wakefern Food Corp. in 2013 as the 50th member of the cooperative, bringing seven stores to the cooperative. Founded in Philadelphia in 1996, The Fresh Grocer is known for providing quality food choices in urban areas. The Fresh Grocer currently operates seven stores throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Fresh Grocer is committed to understanding the needs, tastes and traditions of the communities in which their stores are located, and makes it a priority to offer an assortment of products and services to meet those various needs. The Fresh Grocer is also committed to promoting the health and wellness of its customers, associates, and communities. For more information, please visit www.thefreshgrocer.com.
About Wakefern Food Corp.
From a small, struggling cooperative with eight members – all owners of their own grocery stores – Wakefern Food Corp. has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. Founded in 1946, the cooperative is comprised of 50 members who today individually own and operate more than 250 supermarkets under the ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. In 1996, Wakefern introduced PriceRite stores, extending the company’s reach into Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia. In 2014, Wakefern extended rights to the PriceRite banner to cooperative members. Today, there are more than 50 PriceRite stores in eight states. As the merchandising and distribution arm of ShopRite, PriceRite and The Fresh Grocer, Wakefern, together with its member companies, employs more than 70,000 people, making it one of the largest employers in New Jersey. Wakefern also distributes products to other supermarkets throughout the northeastern United States and Bermuda. Wakefern was named one of the Best Places to Work in NJ by NJBIZ Magazine in 2011 and again in 2012. In 2011, Supermarket News gave Wakefern its Retail Excellence Award and The Griffin Report named Wakefern Retailer of the Year. Supermarket News also recently awarded Wakefern the 2013 Technology Excellence Award. For more information, please visit www.Wakefern.com.
