FOXBOROUGH and WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — A supermarket chain, part of the Supervalu family of grocery stores, teamed up with the charitable arm of a professional football team to donate funds to end hunger in the area.

Shaw's and the New England Patriots Foundation donated $234,502.33 to area food banks to support children’s feeding programs, including Patriots Kids Cafes, which provide children with 6,750 meals per week at seven different locations in the Boston area. The donation was part of the Scan campaign, a joint fundraising effort established in 2007 to fight hunger.

“The current number of people in need of food relief is tremendous, and that need takes an extra level of urgency when you realize the number of children who are going hungry,” said Larry Wahlstrom, Shaw’s president. “The initiative to help fight hunger is a very important one to both Shaw’s and our customers, and we would like to thank all of those who made this donation to the food banks possible. The generosity of our customers will help ensure kids are getting the nutrition they need.”