ShopRite associates to appear on Cheerios boxes

The employees have earned their cereal box debuts by helping to fight hunger “from the heart.”

ShopRite of Medford customers may see some familiar faces on Cheerios boxes when they visit the store in March. Pictures of three associates, along with others from 40 winning ShopRites, will appear on the back of limited-edition Cheerios boxes for their work in helping to raise $1.4 million to fight hunger.

The associates earned those spots after joining thousands of other ShopRite associates last September in a friendly competition sponsored by ShopRite and General Mills, the annual “ShopRite Partners In Caring Cheerios Contest.” The month-long fundraising effort by ShopRite associates raised $1.4 million to support regional food banks in communities served by ShopRite stores, and now ShopRite and General Mills are recognizing that dedication and hard work with a prized spot on a special-edition Cheerios box.

For the second year in a row, the ShopRite of Medford took first place in fundraising out of the top 40 winning stores, and selected Jodi Lattiere of Clementon, Beth Ann Peterson of Medford and Sue Schembri of Medford to be featured on 150,000 special-edition Cheerios boxes. These three spearheaded the 2016 fundraising efforts that resulted in $40,004 being raised. ShopRite associates collected donations at check-out and held fundraisers that included bake sales, weekend hot dog sales, a silent auction, a 5K walk/run and many other activities.

Each winning store will also receive prize money ($3,000 for the top five stores, and $500 for the remaining winning stores) that will be presented to local food pantries chosen by the respective store teams.

“The ShopRite associates featured on this year’s Cheerios box are passionate about fighting hunger and helping people in need in the communities where our ShopRite stores operate. Our associates know that working together as a team to raise money and awareness is the most effective way to make a difference,” Christine Magyarits, spokesperson for ShopRite Partners In Caring, said. “Since 1999, $43 million has been donated to local food banks through the ShopRite Partners In Caring program. The Cheerios contest is one of our favorite annual events and highlights our ‘partners’ in the fight against hunger, including our dedicated ShopRite associates, our generous customers and General Mills, a longtime vendor partner who shares our passion for helping those in need of food assistance.”

The Cheerios box will be unveiled during a ceremony at the store on Wednesday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m. at the ShopRite of Medford, located at 208 Route 70 East. For more information on the event, call (609) 953–7700.