Cardona’s Market is serving up a special salute to Capital Region veterans this November, joining forces with the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center and longtime Albany family business B. Lodge & Company to launch “The Hero’s Hero,” a limited-time specialty sandwich, along with a winter coat drive designed to provide warmth and essential resources to local veterans in need.
The monthlong initiative, held in recognition of Veterans Day, brings together two established Capital Region family businesses in support of the men and women who have served our country. A portion of the proceeds from sales of “The Hero’s Hero” will benefit the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center’s food pantry, while a companion “Coats @ Cost” campaign will make it easy and affordable for the community to help provide winter coats to local veterans.
Available throughout November at all Cardona’s Market locations, “The Hero’s Hero” is a hearty, all-American sandwich featuring deluxe boiled ham, house-roasted turkey, roast beef, American cheese, bacon, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, yellow mustard and spicy pickles.
“Veterans have given so much to our country, and we wanted to create something special that not only recognizes their service but also makes a meaningful difference in their lives,” said Cardona’s Market Co-Owner and Chief Executive Chef Robert Cardona, Jr. “The Hero’s Hero is more than just a sandwich. It’s an opportunity for our customers and our community to come together, show their appreciation and help provide food, warmth and other essential resources to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.”
As part of the initiative, Cardona’s Market is partnering with B. Lodge & Co., the longtime downtown Albany family-owned clothing retailer, to introduce the “Coats @ Cost” Winter Coat Drive, offering customers an affordable way to provide brand-new winter coats to veterans throughout the Capital Region.
During the campaign, customers can purchase coats directly through the Cardona’s Market website at special at-cost pricing: $27 per coat for sizes small through XL and $32 per coat for sizes 2XL through 6XL. Collection bins will also be placed at each Cardona’s Market location throughout the duration of the drive to support local donations and will also be available at the VA and B. Lodge & Co.
The initiative will assist local veterans through the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, helping ensure that those who served have access to warm winter clothing as temperatures drop. Additional support is being provided in partnership with Lean Machine, Plug Power, CDPHP and Beacon Bank.
“B. Lodge & Co. has been part of the Albany community for generations, and we believe strongly in neighbors helping neighbors,” said B. Lodge & Co. Co-Owner Mark Yonally. “Partnering with another local family business like Cardona’s allows us to put that commitment into action. By making winter coats available at cost, we hope to encourage as many people as possible to participate and help keep our hometown heroes warm this winter.”
Proceeds from “The Hero’s Hero” sandwich will also help support the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center’s food pantry, which provides veterans with a free, safe and welcoming place to obtain groceries, everyday household essentials, toiletries and other necessities.
The food pantry is designed to help address food insecurity and ease financial pressures facing veterans and their families.
“Our veterans have made tremendous sacrifices for our country and ensuring they have access to basic necessities is an important part of honoring their service,” said Albany Stratton VA Medical Center Chief VA VS Jason Goman. “Our food pantry is about much more than providing groceries and household essentials. It’s about creating a welcoming, supportive environment where veterans can access the resources they need with dignity and respect. We are incredibly grateful to Cardona’s Market, B. Lodge & Co. and the entire Capital Region community for coming together to support this initiative and demonstrate that our veterans are never forgotten.”
Cardona’s Market will add a patriotic twist to its Veterans Day celebration on Wednesday, November 11, with a special in-store offering.
Customers who purchase “The Hero’s Hero” sandwich or provide proof of purchase of a “Coats @ Cost” will receive a complimentary red, white and blue cannoli, while supplies last.
Cardona’s Market proudly offers a 10% discount to veterans, active-duty military personnel, law enforcement officers and emergency services personnel, reflecting the family-owned market’s ongoing appreciation for those who serve and protect the community.
“Supporting our veterans should extend well beyond a single day on the calendar,” said Rob Cardona, Jr. “By partnering with the Albany VA and B. Lodge & Co., we’re bringing together the strengths of local businesses and the generosity of our customers to make a real impact. Whether someone buys a sandwich, purchases a winter coat or simply helps spread the word, every gesture contributes to a larger community effort to honor our heroes.”
Cardona’s Market features three convenient locations at 340 Delaware Avenue in Albany; 9 Cobbee Road in Latham; and 222 Washington Street in Saratoga Springs. The Albany and Latham markets are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the Saratoga market is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. All three locations are open on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cardona’s Market has been voted Best Caterer of the Capital Region for five consecutive years by Times Union readers, as well as Best Import Company and Best Sandwich Shop during that same period. Cardona’s was voted Favorite Deli & Caterer by The Saratogian Reader’s Choice Awards; Best Deli & Gourmet Market by Saratoga Today; and Best Deli in the Saratoga.com Fab Five Awards in 2026, while being named the 2024 Family Business of the Year by the Albany Business Review.
For more information about Cardona’s Market, call (518) 434-4838 or visit CardonasMarket.com.