Ahold USA and its Stop & Shop banner have donated half a million dollars to a charitable organization set up to aid victims of the recent terrorist attacks in Boston.

Stop & Shop will sponsor a healthy-eating summit for middle schoolers in New Jersey on Thursday, the supermarket chain said.

Ahold USA now has the largest number of stores that have received leadership in energy and environmental design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the supermarket operator said Tuesday.

The parent company of the Stop & Shop, Giant-Carlisle and Giant-Landover supermarket chains is donating $9 million over three years to alleviate child hunger.

Ahold USA last week announced that Mark McGowan has been appointed as EVP merchandising. He will lead a merchandising team that supports Ahold USA and its four divisions.

Stop & Shop is offering free produce for a year to winners of a healthy eating contest it is sponsoring, the Ahold banner said.

The Northeast is still recovering from one of the worst disasters it has ever faced. Many residents remain without electrical power, while others have lost their entire homes, businesses, workplaces and in a growing number of cases, their lives.

Stop & Shop is opening a new store that will include new features that emphasize customer experience, the company said.

Stop & Shop customers and associates donated nearly $400,000 through the company's first-ever Healthy Ideas Food for Friends hunger relief program.

Stop & Shop has expanded its gas rewards programs to customers in New Jersey.

Royal Ahold's U.S. subsidiary saw net sales rise 3.4% in light of challenging market conditions, the retailer reported last week.

Stop & Shop has unveiled a program designed to raise funds for hunger relief agencies that will provide healthy food to local communities.