Some grocery shoppers are thinking about more than paper versus plastic.
They’re choosing to help Haiti relief efforts by donating at the register.
A fundraising program at Publix Super Markets, which was created Jan. 13, allows customers to donate by adding any amount of money to their total when they check out.
The program, which includes Gainesville Publix locations and Publix Super Markets in five states, raised about $4 million as of Monday morning, said Dwaine Stevens, Publix spokesman.
The money is channeled through the American Red Cross and designated for the Haiti Relief and Development Fund, Stevens said.
Other local stores are also helping the relief efforts.
Angie Mohr, a store manager at Ward’s Super Market, said Ward’s is letting Sister Hazel Angel of Mercy Ministries use a building it owns on Northwest Sixth Street to store Haiti relief supplies.
Ward’s also placed donation buckets at registers to collect money for the American Red Cross.
Heaven Fischer, the customer service sales manager at Sweetbay Supermarket on Southwest 34th Street, said the Sweetbay on Southwest 34th Street has collected about $1,000 for the American Red Cross.
More than $114,000 in customer donations have been collected from Sweetbay Supermarkets throughout Florida, Fischer said.
Alligator staff writer Carolyn Tillo contributed to this report.
