2014 -- S 2831

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

COMMENDING OCEAN STATE JOB LOT FOR ITS "THREE SQUARE MEALS" HUNGER

RELIEF PROGRAM

     Introduced By: Senators DaPonte, Paiva Weed, Algiere, Metts, and Satchell

     Date Introduced: March 26, 2014

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Nearly one in four American households do not have enough nutritious food

to eat. Ocean State Job Lot has taken up the gauntlet to alleviate this food crisis in the Northeast

with its "Three Square Meals" program; and

     WHEREAS, The "Three Square Meals" event is expected to provide and distribute 78

tractor trailers, loaded with food, to more than a dozen food banks and pantries across six New

England states and New York throughout the upcoming year, and marks the largest single food

donation of its kind by a private company in New England; and

     WHEREAS, Ocean State Job Lot was founded in 1977, with its headquarters located in

North Kingstown. It is a privately held retail chain consisting of 111 stores distributed

throughout New England and New York, and employs approximately 4,000 individuals; and

     WHEREAS, The company's altruistic arm, The Ocean State Job Lot Charitable

Foundation, has long been associated with donations to local food banks in communities where

Job Lot stores are located. Additionally, the Foundation supports "medical and educational

institutions, disaster relief efforts, the performing arts, our military service men and women, and

special needs and foster children"; and

     WHEREAS, The first of the "Three Square Meals" life-changing deliveries of food is

commencing on March 25, of 2014, and will encompass a convoy of 17 tractor trailer trucks that

will be loaded with 600,000 lbs of nutritious shelf-stable food. In addition to the food, Job Lot

will also handle and donate all the time, labor, and equipment to get the deliveries made; and

     WHEREAS, Even one child going to bed hungry is too many, and thanks to "Three

Square Meals" and The Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation, many, many families in our

state and in neighboring states will not be going to bed hungry or worrying where their next meal

is coming from; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby applauds and commends Ocean State Job Lot for its incredibly generous $1.4 million food

donation through the "Three Square Meals" hunger relief program; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Alan Perlman, Ocean State Job Lot

Owner/Partner.

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