Quincy, Mass. — Stop & Shop kicks off their annual Help Cure Childhood Cancer campaign to support pediatric cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

 

September marks National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month which means through the month of September, Stop & Shop stores will accept donations from customers for their annual Help Cure Childhood Cancer campaign.

 

"Help Cure Childhood Cancer provides Stop & Shop's caring customers and dedicated associates an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and young adults who have been affected by cancer," Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid said. "Their generosity is only matched by their impact."

 

This year, shoppers will be able to round-up their purchases to the nearest dollar at both self-checkout and mainline registers, with 100 percent of the change going to the hospitals. 

 

In New York, New Jersey and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut, proceeds will support Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Kids, the pediatric program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Stores north of New Haven in Connecticut, plus all Massachusetts and Rhode Island stores will raise funds for Dana-Farber.

 

Additionally, customers will find reusable bags with artwork created by patients from both hospitals. The reusable bags will retail for 99 cents with 25 cents from the sale going to the respective pediatric cancer center. Furthermore, those shopping at StopandShop.com for Pickup or Home Delivery can also make a difference by donating $1, $3 and $5 when they checkout.

 

Also, signage highlighting patient ambassadors will be featured in stores

 

Patient ambassadors are local children, aged 5-15, who are being or have been treated at MSK and Dana-Farber and have benefited from donations from companies like Stop & Shop.

 

Help Cure Childhood Cancer is Stop & Shop's largest charitable campaign. Last year Stop & Shop raised $2.5 million for the two hospitals.

 

MSK is the world's oldest and largest private cancer center and has more than 135 years of experience in patient care, educational programs, and innovative research to discover more effective strategies to prevent, control, and, ultimately, cure cancer. 

 

"We are honored to be continuing our longstanding partnership with Stop & Shop this year," Dr. Andrew Kung, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at MSK said. "For nearly two decades, the company and its dedicated associates and customers have shown an unwavering commitment to supporting research and care at MSK Kids. This dedication to philanthropy, particularly during these challenging times due to the COVID-19 crisis, allows our team to develop and provide the best treatment options to kids today, while making discoveries that will bring new hope to more families tomorrow."

 

Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center is an integrated pediatric hematology and oncology program through Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital.

 

"Thanks to generous support from Stop & Shop, the doctors, nurses and scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are performing groundbreaking work that is discovering and developing new approaches to treat childhood cancer," Dr. Scott Armstrong, chairman of the Department of Pediatric Oncology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute said. "These new approaches promise to be effective against some of our most difficult to treat cancers. The support from Stop & Shop is always critical but even more so this year as the pandemic has influenced everything we do. This critical support will allow us to continue to push forward unabated to provide children with the most effective and least toxic treatments so that one day we can cure all children with cancer."

 

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is an Ahold Delhaize USA Company and employs nearly 60,000 associates and operates over 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.