Through a bike building event, Special Olympics New Jersey golf clinic, free dental care for kids, the annual charity luncheon and more, ShopRite’s LPGA week is all about giving back
GALLOWAY, N.J. – ShopRite celebrated its longstanding support for women’s golf and the communities it serves during this year’s ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern, hosting a week of special charitable initiatives culminating with the annual community luncheon at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, where a record $2 million in grants was awarded to more than 70 organizations.
The community luncheon took place Friday as the three-day tournament was getting into full swing. On Sunday, champion Celine Boutier rallied from four strokes back to shoot a final-round 66 and capture the tournament by one stroke. With the win, she joins Anna Nordqvist, Stacy Lewis and Hall-of-Famers Juli Inkster, Annika Sorenstam and Betsy King as multiple winners of this historic event.
Throughout LPGA Week, ShopRite brought its “We Give Back Here” commitment to life with hands-on volunteer events and meaningful partnerships to help athletes, children and families across the region.
The community luncheon is a centerpiece of ShopRite LPGA week and this year representatives from different organizations gathered to accept grants that will go to support healthcare, mental health, youth development, food security and many other essential community services. Luncheon speakers included Jane Asselta, president and CEO of the Food Bank of South Jersey; Heather Andersen, president and CEO of Special Olympics New Jersey; and Jordan Coe of Waverly Markets, whose family-run company operates three ShopRite stores in Connecticut.
“The ShopRite community luncheon is one of the most meaningful parts of our LPGA partnership, and this year we recognized 73 organizations creating real change in our communities,” said Karen Meleta, Chief Communications Officer for the supermarket cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. “We are incredibly proud to award a record $2 million to support their work and the countless individuals and families these organizations serve.”
“We remain dedicated to strengthening our communities and championing women’s sports,” added Wakefern President Mike Stigers. “The ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern brings that commitment to life and allows us to make an impact both on and off the course. The luncheon is a special way to cap off a week that included so many moments of giving back to the communities ShopRite stores serve.”
In addition to the $2 million awarded at the luncheon, ShopRite’s unique community programming included:
- Bike Build: Volunteers assembled 50 bikes for donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City. The event was hosted in partnership with Can’dAid, and sponsors Yasso and The Magnum Ice Cream Company.
- Special Olympics New Jersey Golf Clinic: Athletes and their families participated in golf instruction and interactive activities alongside LPGA players at the annual clinic sponsored by Coca-Cola. As part of the event, ShopRite and Wakefern presented Special Olympics New Jersey with a $150,000 donation to support its year-round programs.
- TeamSmile Dental Clinic: In collaboration with Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures and TeamSmile, nearly 200 children received free oral health exams, treatment and education during a one-day clinic, along with the opportunity to meet LPGA players, including tournament players from Team ShopRite. The children in attendance also got to take place in a Food Pyramid Challenge and fill a bag with nutritious foods from ShopRite using a Healthy Meals scorecard.
- First-Tee: For the second year in a row, ShopRite awarded scholarships to 12 high school students through First-Tee, a youth development organization that uses golf to teach life skills, confidence and leadership.
- We Give Back Here Challenge – Pro-Am players got to take a shot at a hole in one on the 17th green, with the closest to the pin winners across two days each receiving money to donate to their charity of choice. ShopRite donated a total of $10,000 to four charities on behalf of the winners.
- K9 For Warriors – Accompanied by representatives of Purina Dog Chow’s Service Dog Salute program, ShopRite donated $2,500 to K9 For Warriors, which provides trained service dogs to veterans living with PTSD.
ShopRite’s support also extended directly to players and the game. Through its expanded partnership with the LPGA, ShopRite increased the purse and provided complimentary lodging for the full 144-player field. The 2026 tournament also features Team ShopRite, which was created last year to support four deserving golfers as they pursue their LPGA Tour dreams.
“Sport has a unique power to create meaningful impact, and the longstanding support from ShopRite and Wakefern plays a vital role in advancing that mission,” said Ryan Dever, tournament director of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern. “We’re proud to work alongside them as the LPGA Tour’s longest-running title sponsor.”
Atlantic City’s largest sporting event and one of the longest-running events on the LPGA Tour schedule, the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern has drawn fans to the Jersey Shore for more than three decades. The 2026 event featured a field of 144 of the world’s best female professional golfers competing for a share of the overall $2 million purse. In addition to showcasing elite competition, the tournament generates more than $25 million in annual economic impact for the Atlantic City region.
About ShopRite
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With hundreds of ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves millions of customers each week. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Since the program began in 1999, ShopRite Partners In Caring has donated $65 million to food banks that support more than 2,500 worthy charities. As a title sponsor of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern, ShopRite has donated more than $47 million to local organizations, hospitals and community groups. For more information, please visit www.ShopRite.com.
