St. John's University Athletics
Food Bazaar Free Throws For Meals: A Success for All
4/14/2025 10:37:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
The Official Supermarket of St. John’s Athletics helps support St. John’s Bread & Life and Allen Women’s Resource Center
QUEENS, N.Y.– For the fourth consecutive season, the St. John's Athletic Department and Food Bazaar Supermarket collaborated on a charitable initiative entitled "Free Throws for Meals." For every free throw made by the St. John's men's basketball team during the season, Food Bazaar donated $10 in food to St. John's Bread & Life, an emergency food provider located in Brooklyn, NY.
New this year, Food Bazaar sponsored a free throw challenge during St. John's men's basketball games, where fans shot to win Food Bazaar gift cards for themselves and for St. John's Bread & Life. "Free Throws for Meals" was also activated during St. John's women's basketball games this season, with the donations going to the Allen Women's Resource Center, located in Queens, NY.
This season, the St. John's men's basketball team made 435 free throws totaling $4,350 in food donated to St. John's Bread & Life, while the women's basketball team made 290 free throws, earning $2,900 in food donated to the Allen Women's Resource Center. Once again, Food Bazaar Supermarket generously donated more than the final campaign results, more than doubling the original amount planned for St. John's Bread & Life, and more than triple the original donation amount planned for the Allen Women's Resource Center. Each charity received $10,000 in Food Bazaar gift cards.
"The Free Throws for Meals program has continued to be a special way to support our local communities," said St. John's Sports Properties General Manager Kevin Waters. "We greatly appreciate Food Bazaar's ongoing efforts to find creative new ways to support our local communities through St. John's Athletics."
St. John's Bread & Life is one of the premier emergency food providers in New York City, annually distributing over 4.5 million meals and 5 million pounds of food and fresh produce distributed. Through on-site pantry distribution, hot grab-and-go meals, the mobile pantry, and mobile soup kitchen, St. John's Bread & Life served 446,000 individuals accessing their programs and services over the past year. St. John's 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.
"St. John's 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 (AWRC) is an emergency shelter that 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 supported to take the necessary steps towards self-determination. AWRC's efforts are directed toward eradicating the emotional trauma caused by domestic violence and enabling victims to realize self-sufficiency through action.
"AWRC's staff and the families we serve are deeply grateful for the collaboration of St. John's Athletics and Food Bazaar Supermarket and its generous donation of $10,000 in Food Bazaar Gift Cards for the residents of our domestic violence shelter, said Program Director of AWRC Alisa Cupid. "Your generosity helps to provide immediate relief and dignity to the families in our domestic violence shelter by allowing them to purchase the food and essentials they need most during a time of crisis."
"Working with our amazing team at St. John's Athletics provides us the perfect alliance for supporting the communities we serve," said Executive Vice President for Food Bazaar Supermarket Edward Suh. "Allen Women's Resource Center and St. John's Bread & Life are both shining examples of that teamwork, and we're so thankful for the much-needed services these exceptional organizations deliver to those who need it most."
About Bogopa Service Corp. (d.b.a. Food Bazaar Supermarket):
Bogopa Service Corp., operating under the name "Food Bazaar," is a family-owned and operated company that has grown to over 30 full-service supermarkets in the Tri-State metropolitan area (NY, NJ, CT). The name "Bogopa" translates to "Yearning for You" in Korean. Bogopa opened its first store in 1988, recognizing the need for access to a variety of authentic foods and flavors that mainstream supermarkets did not provide. The company takes pride in going to great lengths to supply each community it serves with beloved foods from their respective homelands. Food Bazaar offers a one-stop shopping experience, including staple grocery items and its own line of high-quality products at affordable prices under the Bogopa Private Label. The company is dedicated to supporting its local community and regularly partners with numerous not-for-profit organizations, providing substantial food donations and hosting various community events throughout the year. For more information on Food Bazaar, please visit www.foodbazaar.com.
New this year, Food Bazaar sponsored a free throw challenge during St. John's men's basketball games, where fans shot to win Food Bazaar gift cards for themselves and for St. John's Bread & Life. "Free Throws for Meals" was also activated during St. John's women's basketball games this season, with the donations going to the Allen Women's Resource Center, located in Queens, NY.
This season, the St. John's men's basketball team made 435 free throws totaling $4,350 in food donated to St. John's Bread & Life, while the women's basketball team made 290 free throws, earning $2,900 in food donated to the Allen Women's Resource Center. Once again, Food Bazaar Supermarket generously donated more than the final campaign results, more than doubling the original amount planned for St. John's Bread & Life, and more than triple the original donation amount planned for the Allen Women's Resource Center. Each charity received $10,000 in Food Bazaar gift cards.
"The Free Throws for Meals program has continued to be a special way to support our local communities," said St. John's Sports Properties General Manager Kevin Waters. "We greatly appreciate Food Bazaar's ongoing efforts to find creative new ways to support our local communities through St. John's Athletics."
St. John's Bread & Life is one of the premier emergency food providers in New York City, annually distributing over 4.5 million meals and 5 million pounds of food and fresh produce distributed. Through on-site pantry distribution, hot grab-and-go meals, the mobile pantry, and mobile soup kitchen, St. John's Bread & Life served 446,000 individuals accessing their programs and services over the past year. St. John's 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.
"St. John's 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 (AWRC) is an emergency shelter that 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 supported to take the necessary steps towards self-determination. AWRC's efforts are directed toward eradicating the emotional trauma caused by domestic violence and enabling victims to realize self-sufficiency through action.
"AWRC's staff and the families we serve are deeply grateful for the collaboration of St. John's Athletics and Food Bazaar Supermarket and its generous donation of $10,000 in Food Bazaar Gift Cards for the residents of our domestic violence shelter, said Program Director of AWRC Alisa Cupid. "Your generosity helps to provide immediate relief and dignity to the families in our domestic violence shelter by allowing them to purchase the food and essentials they need most during a time of crisis."
"Working with our amazing team at St. John's Athletics provides us the perfect alliance for supporting the communities we serve," said Executive Vice President for Food Bazaar Supermarket Edward Suh. "Allen Women's Resource Center and St. John's Bread & Life are both shining examples of that teamwork, and we're so thankful for the much-needed services these exceptional organizations deliver to those who need it most."
About Bogopa Service Corp. (d.b.a. Food Bazaar Supermarket):
Bogopa Service Corp., operating under the name "Food Bazaar," is a family-owned and operated company that has grown to over 30 full-service supermarkets in the Tri-State metropolitan area (NY, NJ, CT). The name "Bogopa" translates to "Yearning for You" in Korean. Bogopa opened its first store in 1988, recognizing the need for access to a variety of authentic foods and flavors that mainstream supermarkets did not provide. The company takes pride in going to great lengths to supply each community it serves with beloved foods from their respective homelands. Food Bazaar offers a one-stop shopping experience, including staple grocery items and its own line of high-quality products at affordable prices under the Bogopa Private Label. The company is dedicated to supporting its local community and regularly partners with numerous not-for-profit organizations, providing substantial food donations and hosting various community events throughout the year. For more information on Food Bazaar, please visit www.foodbazaar.com.
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