ShopRite has announced the return of its annual fundraising campaign to benefit Make-A-Wish® Hudson Valley, which will kick off on Sunday, April 14th and will run for two weeks to help fulfill the charity organization’s mission to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Twenty-seven ShopRite stores throughout the Hudson Valley, one store in Northeast New York, three stores in New Jersey, and one store in Pennsylvania, will collect donations at checkout from April 14 – April 27. The funds raised will support Make-A-Wish® and its mission to ensure that every child who qualifies for Make-A-Wish services is granted his or her wish. Since its inception in 1986, Make-A-Wish® Hudson Valley has granted more than 3,200 wishes for children in the Hudson Valley region. To date, ShopRite Supermarkets, Inc. has raised over $790,000 directly for Make-A-Wish® Hudson Valley and over $970,000 in total, between all the Make-A-Wish chapters participating in the campaign.

This year’s campaign kicked off with ShopRite of Carmel hosting a wish reveal for wish child Iyanna (eye-ya-na) who was surprised with the news that her wish to go to Walt Disney World was being granted.

Carmel Store Manager, Bob Gillick, worked closely with local law enforcement agencies to greet Iyanna at arrival with lights & sirens including the Lake Carmel Fire Department, Carmel Fire Department, Kent Fire Department, and Carmel EMS. Special thanks to the Town of Kent Police Department Chief, Kevin Owens, and Town of Carmel Police Department Chief, Anthony Hoffman, for coordinating the awesome community support.

County Executive, Kevin Byrne, New York Assemblyman, Matt Slater, and District Assembly Representative, Erin Crowley – all presented Iyanna and her family with Certificates of Recognition marking the significance of her Wish Reveal Day.