BIGELOW TEA HONORS SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN WITH $23,520 DONATION TO THE USO


Fairfield, CT, Nov. 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In continuing support of service members and their families, Bigelow Tea was proud to present a donation to the United Service Organizations for $23,520. 

The contribution supports the USO and the crucial services it provides. With more than 200 locations around the world, the USO supports the military and their families through a global network of USO centers, programs and volunteers, and provides a home away from home to help bridge the distance no matter where they serve and no matter the circumstances.

The check, presented by Bigelow Tea President & CEO Cindi Bigelow to USO Sr. Account Manager Kirk Parker was the result of a Support Service Members promotion, developed in collaboration with Stop & Shop that guaranteed the USO a portion of all Bigelow Tea sales sold at Stop & Shop and other Ahold banners over the past several months.  

Also, on hand were District Director Gerald Kerr, Center Store Manager Michael Krolak and Matthew Krolak representing Stop & Shop, and from Bigelow Tea, Regional Sales Manager Lori Sinclair, Board Member Robert Kelly and Craig Harris.

Fittingly, the presentation took place during a pre-game ceremony on Sunday, November 18, as the Giants prepared to play Tampa Bay at MetLife Stadium, on a day when teams across the league were honoring service men and women from all branches as part of their 2018 “Salute to Service" campaign. 

Bigelow became an official sponsor of the USO and as such, began partnering on programs with select retailers in 2015 to donate portions of Bigelow tea sales in support of USO centers.

“The USO’s mission of recognizing the huge sacrifices men and women of our military have made and continue to make is near and dear to the hearts of everyone at Bigelow Tea. Filled with pride and gratitude for all they do, we love doing all we can, whenever we can, to support them,” said Cindi Bigelow.  “We value our relationship with Stop & Shop and especially appreciate the opportunity to partner with them, their other Ahold banners and their consumers for their whole-hearted support of this program as a show of appreciation to U.S. servicemen and women.”

"At Stop & Shop, we are committed to community and that includes supporting our troops, both at home and away," said Jennifer Brogan, director of external communications and community relations for Stop & Shop. "In 2017, we donated more than $700,000 to the USO as part of our annual Support Our Service Members campaign, and we hope to raise even more this year. We are proud to support partners like Bigelow Tea who share our values." 

Bigelow Tea’s commitment to U.S. military communities has continued to grow since it launched its Tea for the Troops Program in 2009, donating six million tea bags to date. In support of the USO’s ongoing mission to strengthen America’s military, Bigelow’s “Tea for the Troops” program sends specially designed boxes of 100% American-grown tea from the company’s Charleston Tea Plantation to U.S. military personnel overseas and in the States. The package was created exclusively for servicemen and women to thank them for their service.

Additionally, Bigelow Tea has been an enthusiastic participant in past USO events such as the organization’s Warrior Weeks that have taken place in association with USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia Inc.

“Our partnership with Bigelow Tea has provided tremendous opportunities for the USO to extend its reach to consumers and give Americans a way to support our mission,” said Michael Hoar, USO vice president of corporate alliances. “This donation will have a meaningful impact in how we continue to support and strengthen our service members and their families.”

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About Bigelow Tea Company

Based in Fairfield, CT and 100% family owned, the Bigelow Tea Company pioneered the specialty tea category almost 75 years ago. The three-generational company takes pride in its heritage and successful growth from a one-product, entrepreneurial venture into America’s leading specialty tea company. Producing 2 billion tea bags annually, the Bigelow Tea line is available nationwide and includes more than 130 varieties of Flavored, Traditional, Green, Organic, Herbal, Decaffeinated and Wellness teas – including its flagship specialty tea flavor, “Constant Comment”®, an all-time American favorite.

It is officially registered as a Benefit Corporation, one of a select group of companies that has designated corporate social responsibility as a core business goal in the pursuit of a positive social and environmental impact.

In 2003, the company purchased and restored the Charleston Tea Plantation, preserving the 127-acre American tea plantation located on Wadmalaw Island, just south of Charleston, South Carolina as a working tea farm. It is here where hundreds of thousands of ancestral tea bushes that go into the making of Charleston Tea Planation teas are grown and cultivated without pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or insecticides. The Charleston Tea Plantation has become a "must see" destination for more than 70,000 travelers from around the world who visit annually to learn how tea is grown and harvested, and sample products made from tea grown on the premises. 

About the USO

The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners, and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. 

About Stop & Shop

A neighborhood grocer for more than 100 years, today’s Stop & Shop is refreshed, re-energized and inspired, delivering new conveniences for customers. Committed to helping its communities enjoy better food and better lives, Stop & Shop has a longstanding history of giving back to the neighborhoods it serves with a focus on fighting hunger and helping children to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is an Ahold Delhaize Company and employs more than 61,000 associates and operates over 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit stopandshop.com.  

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Shown here in front row left to right: Kirk Parker, Sr. Account Manager, USO; Cindi Bigelow, President & CEO, Bigelow Tea; Gerald Kerr, District Director, Stop & Shop.  Back row from left:  Michael Krolak, Center Store Manager, Stop & Shop and Matthew Krolak, guest.  

John Mara, President NY Giants, Cindi Bigelow, President & CEO Bigelow Tea, Kirk Parker, Sr. Account Manager USO, Bob Kelly, Bigelow Tea Board Member, Craig Harris, guest.

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