The independent supermarket network IGA is delivering more than $2 million raised in 2012 to more than 1,000 recipients around Australia, including charities, not-for-profit organisations, schools, hospitals and community groups.
The IGA Community Chest initiative is a program operated throughout all of the 1,400 SUPA IGA, IGA and IGA X-press supermarkets across Australia, where a percentage of all sales from specifically marked Community Chest products on IGA private label products are given back to the community.
The unique donation program, which has been operating over the last 10 years, has raised $63 million so far, and has been distributed to more than 7,000 schools, community groups, charities, sports clubs and other local organisations in Australia.
Ben Ryan, IGA national council chairman said, “In the continuing economic challenges being faced in Australia as a result of the Global Financial Crisis, smaller community groups face difficult times and we are pleased to be able to provide critical donations to these groups.
“The Community Chest is an integral part of the philosophy and values on which IGA supermarkets operate and we are passionate about making a difference. The funds are raised in each store locally, and then spent locally with beneficiaries decided by local store owners and their customers, while funds are also raised for national charities like St Vincent de Paul”, he added.
Many of the donations are being directed to areas which have recently been hit by floods and bushfires, with IGA supermarkets this month launching a separate three week national drive to raise much needed funds for the Queensland flood victims.
Ryan said “IGA owners and their staff are part of the communities in which their stores are located and they empathise with the victims of the devastating floods, and it is great that IGA stores and their customers around Australia have thrown their support behind the flood appeal”.
IGA worked closely with the Queensland Disaster Recovery Team after the 2010/2011 floods in a similar program, raising more than $750,000 in a short period.