The cereal box, once a place reserved for celebrated athletes, will feature two local women this month. General Mills and ShopRite worked together to form ShopRite Partners in Caring Foundation, raising funds for food banks throughout the state.

Tuesday afternoon Lehighton's own Beth Everett and Rhianna Cenci of Whitehall were announced by ShopRite representative Orien Reid as this year's Cheerios contest winners in the Lending a Hand for Hunger campaign."These two ladies worked so hard trying to help people. They are certifiably hometown heroes of Brodheadsville."Reid said the duo, along with the Kinsley family-owned store, raised over $17,000 for the annual drive. Store cashier Everett raised $842 through customer donations in her checkout line."I raised it by asking people to donate. I don't want to see anyone go hungry," she said. "You never want to see kids asking their parents for food and there is nothing in the cupboard.""SNAP (state food stamp program) has continued to get cut. Families have lost 21 meals a month. How do you make up for that?" Reid said.The Kinsley's ShopRite Annual Golf Tournament held in June gathered the bulk of the funds where Cenci worked tireless hours as coordinator for the event."We raised $14,000 through the tournament alone this year," she said.The Brodheadsville store was one of the top 41 stores in the six participating states in the fundraising challenge."While raising money is important, what's equally important is raising awareness about hunger," Reid said. "When it comes to the suburbs, people think everyone is fine. But you would never believe the people that are food insecure."Being food insecure is defined as not knowing where or when the next meal is coming."It could happen to anyone. Illnesses, divorces, financial hardship can cause anyone to not know where their next meal is coming from. That's why ShopRite partnered with General Mills. We don't believe children should have to go to school and not have breakfast," Reid said.Each of the 40 winning stores chose two associates to be featured on the special edition Cheerios box. The customized containers will be sold exclusively at ShopRite during March.The Kinsley family was on hand during the celebration of the employees complete with giant Cheerios chocolate cake."It's a fantastic day. We have a lot of great associates who get behind the cause," Chris Kinsley Sr. said. "Their co-workers nominated Beth and Rhianna for the feature. This is Beth's second year on the box."The two-time Cheerios contest winner will bring her plastic-encased commemorative cereal box home to the family."I'm going to put the box on top of my computer desk next to last year's."