Stop & Shop donates $81,982 from customer food drive

Stop & Shop is set to give to a Long Island charity more than $80,000, an amount that includes donations by supermarket shoppers who bought "paper turkeys" at the checkout counter, the company said Tuesday.

The donation totals $81,982, and is made up of shoppers' contributions of $1, $3 and $5 at store registers; along with supplemental money from the company. Stop & Shop planned to hold an event Tuesday afternoon during which the money would be handed over to Long Island Cares, at the Stop & Shop on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia.

Matt Whelan, a district manager, said in a news release that Stop & Shop's Food for Friends charitable campaign "is our commitment to giving back and being a reliable partner to the communities we serve. During these difficult economic times we are working harder than ever to fight hunger in our communities."

A publicist for Stop & Shop did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for information on how much of the $81,982 was donated by supermarket shoppers, and how much was donated by the company.