Italy
To support frontline medical professionals in fighting the epidemic, DESPAR in Italy has donated a sum of €500.000 to the Spallanzani Institute in Rome, Italy’s centre of excellence for research and treatment in the field of infectious diseases.
In addition to previously announced investments of €450,000 in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, DESPAR Italia Partner Maiora has set aside funds for their team members and consumers. The partner has made available shopping vouchers to the sum of €50,000, redeemable in SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR stores in the regions where Maiora Group operates.
Responding to ongoing updates from a medical clinic in Ragusa, DESPAR Italy partner Ergon and its affiliated retail and supply chain partners this week donated three portable lung ventilators which are very much in demand at this time.
Hungary
SPAR Hungary is supplying free hot lunches and sandwiches as part of an initiative to support healthcare professionals who are under enormous pressure during the COVID-19 outbreak. Restaurants, catering companies, and individuals are all coming together through this platform to prepare meals and make deliveries to hospitals.
Spain
SPAR Spain partner Líder Aliment is supporting families dependent on Badajoz food banks by donating products for the preparation of sandwiches which are delivered daily to families in need. The aim is to ensure the supply of mainly fresh products like cheeses, ham, cold cuts, and sausages to these families.
South Africa
Ingane Yami, based in the Shongweni Valley in KwaZulu-Natal, is a permanent, loving village for orphaned and vulnerable children. The village consists of individual homes, each comprising a carefully selected foster mom and six children. SPAR KwaZulu Natal work together with local retailer SUPERSPAR Richdens to supply the weekly groceries to the village.
The owner of Knowles SUPERSPAR, Roy Sheodin, supported families in need in his local community by donating ZAR20,000 (€990) to facilitate two bags of healthy breakfast products to each family. The donation of 1,500 bags of SPAR porridge meals was handed over with great care by the team of the Pinetown based SUPERSPAR Supermarket.
Albania
SPAR Albania has given a helping hand to 100 families in the town of Bulqiza by providing them with food supplies. The spread of COVID-19 is challenging Albania’s healthcare institutions and economy, making the lives of many families in Bulqiza harder. In partnership with Albanian NGO “Fundjava Ndryshe” and chrome producer AlbChrome, SPAR Albania last week helped deliver these much-needed food packages door to door.
Northern Ireland
SPAR Northern Ireland has entered a cooperation with oil and gas company BP in an initiative to help support services during the COVID-19 pandemic. BP will supply free fuel to the UK’s emergency services vehicles during the current crisis.
UK
At a time when Scottish National Health Service frontline staff are working tirelessly to help the nation, SPAR Scotland has donated 1,400 boxes of Cadbury Heroes chocolate to Ninewells Hospital based in Dundee. Ninewells Hospital and Medical School is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the world.
China
SPAR Partners in China have continued to serve their communities during the epidemic not only by providing for customers’ daily grocery needs but also through community initiatives, including generous donations towards epidemic prevention. Among these initiatives, Jiajiayue Group, SPAR Partner in the northern province of Shandong, donated 8 million yuan (over €1 million) towards epidemic prevention and control efforts in the city of Weihai and Shandong province.
In solidarity with their European colleagues, SPAR Shandong in China has provided a key example of partner support by donating 100,000 face masks and 100,000 gloves. These invaluable safety resources were dispatched last week to Northern Italy where authorities have required all in-store team members to wear such protective gear.
