Cereal number

Next time you’re picking up groceries at the ShopRite of Metro Plaza on Marin Boulevard in downtown Jersey City, head over to the cereal section.
On the back of the 18-ounce box of Cheerios currently on sale (retail price $4.39) is a rather unique photo of 86 ShopRite employees dressed in green t-shirts.
Those employees – representing 43 ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania – earned that distinction for participating in a six-week contest last fall to raise funds and awareness about the issue of hunger around September’s National Hunger Awareness Month. The contest was sponsored by ShopRite and General Mills.

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“I wish we could have gotten more people on the cereal box.” – Jim Mooney
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ShopRite associates raised nearly $500,000 for hunger initiatives such as food banks in their local communities by offering $1 donation cards to customers at checkout, constructing displays to bring awareness to the issue of hunger, and holding in-store events.
One of those stores was the ShopRite of Metro Plaza. The store’s manager, Jim Mooney, and customer service representative, Sophia Baptiste, both appear in the picture.
The local store created a variety of ways to get the public interested in donating, such as selling hot dogs outside the store and organizing games of chance. They raised about $6,000.
Eighty-six employees from the participating stores are representing their stores on special-edition Cheerios cereal boxes, which have been selling in ShopRite stores this month. In addition, each store was awarded $3,000 to donate to the hunger charity of its choice.
On Monday, there was a small celebration in the downtown store to honor Mooney and Baptiste. They each got a special “cereal box plaque” with their names and enjoyed some cake.

Making the public aware

Mooney said he felt “great” thinking back on the work that the 170 employees did for a worthwhile goal.
“I wish we could have gotten more people on the cereal box,” Mooney said. “There were so many people behind the scenes who helped out for a great thing, since it helped boost morale and made the customers more aware.”
Baptiste did much of the organizing of the activities, but took a modest stance about having her face seen on a cereal box.
“Actually, it’s a big deal, but it’s not like, ‘Hey, I’m on a cereal box,’” Baptiste said. “It’s that I did something good, that I helped my community.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.