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In An Effort to Help New Jersey Residents Impacted by Cuts in SNAP Food Stamps, NY Giants Players Helped Unload 1500 Turkeys that Stop & Shop Donated to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey

NY Giants players, (left to right) Safety Ryan Mundy, Guard Kevin Boothe and Center Jim Cordle joined Community FoodBank President & CEO Kathleen DiChiara (second from left) and Stop & Shop's Arlene Putterman (second from right) by helping to unload 1500 turkeys that Stop & Shop Supermarket donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

Food Advocates say the situation became more challenging at the start of this month when the Federal Government cut the assistance it provided to those in need. Approximately one million New Jersey residents will see smaller amounts in the food assistance because a temporary boost the federal SNAP program expired. Approximately $5 billion will be cut from the program in fiscal year 2014 nationwide. $90 million of that will be in New Jersey.

Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program will deliver nearly 21,000 turkeys to hunger relief organizations in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut this holiday season. Stop & Shop donates over $12 million in product and financial support to individual food banks. In addition to the Turkey Express program, Stop & Shop continues to fight hunger through the Food for Friends campaign, which will raise more than $2 million this year for more than 300 local hunger relief organizations through the six states that it operates in.

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All households that receive SNAP saw a cut in their benefits at the start of the month. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a family of three that is receiving the maximum benefits in New Jersey, there will be a reduction of approximately $29 per month, from $526 to $497.

The NY Giants players say they hope their efforts will lead others to help the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and other charitable organizations meet the needs of the hungry at this difficult time.

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