Rite Aid to present N.J. first lady with nearly $280,000 in hurricane-relief money
CAMP HILL, Pa. — New Jersey first lady and chairwoman of the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund Mary Pat Christie will visit a Point Pleasant, N.J., Rite Aid store on Friday at 11:30 a.m. with Rite Aid executives to receive money for the fund, Rite Aid said Thursday.
During her visit for the presentation of a donation of $279,622 — including $50,000 donated by Rite Aid and $229,622 collected from Rite Aid customers and employees — Christie will meet with Rite Aid employees, who will share their Hurricane Sandy experiences. Rite Aid raised $459,244 from around the country for the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief and Empire State Relief Fund, the company said.
"We are so appreciative of Rite Aid's partnership and support, and the thousands of Rite Aid customers who answered the call following the worst storm in our state's history," Christie said. "These generously donated funds will be made available for non-profits active in the relief effort who are on the ground doing amazing things for families, businesses and the impacted communities."
The company had previously donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross and several truckloads of water, personal care and cleaning supplies to the most affected areas. Rite Aid operates 262 stores in New Jersey, many of which were among the 800 closed during the height of the storm. All of the stores have been reopened, and the Lavallette, N.J., store, which sustained significant damage, was rebuilt according to the updated Wellness store format.
"So many lives were forever changed by Hurricane Sandy," Rite Aid COO and Rite Aid Foundation president Ken Martindale said. "Mrs. Christie and the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund have been an invaluable resource to residents across the state as they continue to rebuild. We are proud to present Mrs. Christie with The Rite Aid Foundation donation, as well as the funds so generously donated by our customers and associates, to help the fund continue to provide assistance to the residents of New Jersey most affected by Hurricane Sandy."