Giant 2011 Donations Hit $20 Million

The following was submitted by Giant/Martin's:

Carlisle, PA – Officials from Food Stores and MARTIN’S Food Markets today announced that charitable donations made in 2011 as part of the companies’ “Living Here, Giving Here” program totaled $20.6 million in combined cash and product contributions, the largest ever to date. This record total included a major $3 million gift to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

In addition to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, “Living Here, Giving Here” donations supported approximately 100 local hunger relief organizations, over 2,500 schools, forty-five United Way agencies, local USO Chapters, Wounded Warrior Project, and hundreds of non-profit groups at the local level.

“Thank you to all of our customers, vendors and associates who opened their hearts in support of our local communities,” said Rick Herring, president. “Because of your support, GIANT and MARTIN’S has made our largest charitable contribution to date to help local charitable causes, especially those on behalf of hunger relief and improving the quality of life for children.”

Here are the major highlights of GIANT/MARTIN’S community giving programs in 2011:

• Regional Food Banks – In 2011, nearly one hundred regional food banks and local pantries across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia received $6.9 million in product, customer, vendor, and corporate donations. Two “Bag Hunger” instore register campaigns netted nearly $1 million for food banks and pantries. In addition to fundraising efforts, GIANT/MARTIN’S donated 438,779 pounds of meat as part of a meat donation pilot. Other perishable food donations included bakery items, and at holiday time, turkeys were provided to families who otherwise would go without. These perishable food contributions amounted to $5.9 million.

• Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) – GIANT/MARTIN’S raised a record $3 million in 2011 to benefit the seven local CMN hospitals listed below. GIANT/MARTIN’S preeminent “Our Kids” golf outing – the largest charitable golf event in the nation in support of CMN - plus paper balloon and candle sales to customers, contributed to the overall total. GIANT/MARTIN’S is one of the top ten fundraisers in the country for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, having raised more than $25 million in the past 15 years.

o Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, $877,183
o Penn State Children's Hospital at Hershey Medical Center, PA, $718,643
o Janet Weis Children's Hospital, PA, $497,158
o Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, $484,920
o Johns Hopkins Children's Center, MD, $394,220
o Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, PA, $11,403
o University of Virginia Children's Hospital, $16,474

• Local Community Support – In 2011, GIANT/MARTIN’S commitment to community was demonstrated with over $6.2 million in contributions to local community groups and various nonprofit organizations throughout four states, impacting tens of thousands of individuals and families.

• Local Schools – Through GIANT/MARTIN’S A+ School Rewards program, over 2,500 public and private schools received $1.85 million to fund scholarship programs, technology initiatives, sports equipment, and other educational needs. Since launching the program in 2005, more than $10 million has been donated to hundreds of local schools. The following top five schools were awarded A+ School Rewards grants in 2011:

o Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, PA, $17,185
o Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, MD, $15,693
o St. Theresa's School in New Cumberland, PA, $14,579
o Myers Elementary School in Altoona, PA, $13,638
o Cresaptown Elementary School in Lavale, MD, $12,439

• United Way – Associate and corporate contributions to more than 40 local United Way agencies totaled over $1 million in 2011. Here are the top ten United Way chapter recipients:

o United Way of the Capital Region, PA, $123,737
o United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County, PA, $108,511
o United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg, VA, $99,731
o United Way of York County, PA, $86,727
o United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, PA, $81,453
o United Way of Bucks County, PA, $77,982
o United Way of Lancaster County, PA, $69,460
o United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, $45,812
o United Way of Berks County, PA, $36,737
o United Way of Chester County, PA, $35,607

• Troop Support – GIANT/MARTIN’S expanded its commitment to military support organizations in 2011 raising $422,386. During the “Support our Troops” register campaign, customers and associates helped to support both local USO chapters and Wounded Warriors Project, the organization that helps severely injured service members aid and assist each other. GIANT/MARTIN’S also launched a new partnership with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, hosting toy collection bins at all neighborhood stores. Regional USO chapters and Wounded Warriors received the following contributions:

o Liberty USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, $186,633
o Metro DC USO, $12,816
o USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia, $11,744
o Wounded Warriors Project, $211,193

• American Red Cross – In response to local flooding following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, GIANT/MARTIN’S customers and vendors stepped up to help. Coupled with contributions to the Japan Tsunami and Earthquake Relief Fund, the total donation to American Red Cross came to $234,480.

• MS Society – GIANT/MARTIN’S continues to be a proud supporter of the MS Society and was the #1 MS Walk team in the country for the eighth consecutive year. More than $160,000 was raised by participating associates in the 2011 MS Walk and Bike Tour for local MS chapters.

• Little Leagues – GIANT/MARTIN’S sponsored over 100 Little League teams in

Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In addition to financial support, GIANT/MARTIN’S associates at both the store and corporate level volunteered their time in the community. GIANT/MARTIN’S associates were especially proud to partner with KaBOOM, Mayfair Civic Association and the Mayfair Community Development Corporation to build a new state-of-the-art playground in the Mayfair neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Demonstrating its commitment to battling and bringing awareness to childhood obesity, GIANT/MARTIN’S teamed up with health and wellness groups in 2011 to present two Childhood Obesity Forums in Harrisburg and Willow Grove, PA.

In 2010, GIANT/MARTIN’S customers, associates and vendors contributed more than $19.1 million to support the “Living Here, Giving Here” charitable programs.