QUEENS, N.Y. – For the third consecutive season, St. John’s Sports Properties and Food Bazaar Supermarket collaborated on a charitable initiative entitled “Free Throws for Meals,” in which Food Bazaar donated $10 in food for every free throw made by the St. John’s men’s basketball team this past season. Food Bazaar activated the program during the St. John’s women’s basketball campaign, as well.

The Red Storm men’s basketball team made 390 free throws, totaling $3,900 in food donated to St. John’s Bread & Life in Brooklyn. The women’s basketball team made 335 free throws, earning $3,350 in food donated to the Allen Women’s Resource Center in Queens. For the third consecutive season, Food Bazaar Supermarket generously increased their donation to $10,000 to St. John’s Bread & Life while Food Bazaar Supermarket also donated $10,000 to the Allen Women’s Resource Center.

“Food Bazaar has been a great partner, not just to St. John’s Athletics, but to our community as well,” said Kevin Waters, St. John’s Sports Properties General Manager. “We were delighted they chose to expand the Free Throws for Meals promotion to our women’s basketball games this season, knowing even more community members were going to benefit from their generosity.”

St. John’s Bread & Life is one of the premier emergency food providers in New York City, distributing over 4.9 million meals in 2023 and it is on target to serve 5.2 million meals by June 2024. Through on-site pantry distribution, hot grab-and-go meals, the mobile pantry, and mobile soup kitchen, they serve 64,000 households annually (192,000 individuals), and more than 292,000 individuals accessing their programs and services over the past year.

Bread & Life provides a safety net for low wage earners and those at or below the poverty level, the elderly and medically compromised, the homeless and those with chronic mental health issues. St. John’s University students, faculty and employees have been volunteering at St. John’s Bread & Life for decades.

“Bread & Life is so grateful to St. John’s Athletics and Food Bazaar for partnering together to combat food insecurity in our community,” said Executive Director of St. John’s Bread & Life Sr. Caroline Tweedy, RSM. “This support makes it possible for guests to access healthy, nutritious food in a dignified and compassionate way.”

Allen Women’s Resource Center has operated within the Queens community for over 33 years. Their mission is to provide temporary shelter to adults and children whose lives have been affected by domestic violence. Through individual and group counseling, advocacy, medical and housing assistance, referrals, and linkage assistance, residents are helped to realize self-termination through action. Their efforts are directed toward eradicating the emotional trauma caused by domestic violence.

“The director, staff and residents of the Allen Women’s Resource Center are overwhelmed by the generosity of St. John’s Athletics and Food Bazaar Supermarket for the amazing donation of $10,000 in Food Bazaar gift cards for the residents of our domestic violence shelter,” said Executive Director of the Allen Women’s Resource Center, Donna Atmore-Dolly. “The impact this gift will have on our mothers and their children cannot be easily expressed. Thank you feels too small but we are ever so very grateful.”

“St. John’s Bread & Life and the Allen Women’s Resource Center continue to uplift those in need by providing food assistance, essential services, and fostering a safe, supportive environment for all,” said Suzanne Kuczun Associate VP Marketing & Development for Food Bazaar Supermarket. “Food Bazaar Supermarket is honored to join forces with these exemplary organizations.”

About Bogopa Service Corp. (d.b.a. Food Bazaar Supermarket):

A family-founded, privately owned and operated company that has grown to over 30 full-service supermarkets in the Tri-State metropolitan area (NY, NJ, CT) under the name “Food Bazaar.” Bogopa, which means “Yearning for You” in Korean, opened its first company store in 1988, seeing the need for access to a variety of authentic foods and flavors that mainstream supermarkets did not supply. Taking pride in going to great lengths to provide each of the communities it serves with the foods they love and recall from their “homeland,” the company serves as a one-stop shopping experience, including staple grocery items and producing the Bogopa Private Label, their own line of high-quality products at affordable prices. Passionate about supporting its local community, Food Bazaar regularly partners with numerous not-for-profit organizations by providing substantial food donations and hosting many community events year-round. For more information on Food Bazaar, please visit www.foodbazaar.com.