SPAR partners around the world assist their local communities in various ways. Today on International Day of Charity, we highlight impactful charity initiatives that SPAR country organisations recently organised or are still running. Examples from Zimbabwe, Ireland, Hungary, the UK, Spain and Austria are included.

SPAR Zimbabwe’s 2023 Rainbow Run

More than 2,500 people took part in SPAR Zimbabwe’s 2023 Rainbow Run in Harare, raising an incredible $20,000 (€18,427). The total raised was split among Childline and the Zimbabwe National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ZNSPCA).

SPAR Zimbabwe and UNICEF support child rights issues

SPAR Zimbabwe collaborated with UNICEF to roll out joint awareness campaigns on child rights and health issues across the country. The initiative is in line with SPAR’s mission statement of ‘Better Together’ and being part of the local communities in which SPAR operates by getting involved at the grassroots level. The first campaign, focusing on diseases such as cholera, recently got underway, and was communicated to customers online and instore. Both organisations are engaged in discussions about child rights related campaigns to run in the months to come.

SPAR Ireland donates €60,000 in community fund initiative

SPAR Ireland recently revealed the six beneficiaries of the SPAR 60th Community Fund initiative. Organisations and groups spread across Connacht, Munster and Leinster received €10,000 each in funding. First launched in December 2021, this year’s Fund celebrates 60 years of SPAR serving local communities in Ireland. To date, SPAR Ireland has donated €80,000 to deserving organisations and groups through this initiative.

SPAR Hungary’s food rescue programme

Between September 2022 and June 2023, SPAR Hungary distributed almost 174 tonnes of food to people in need through their food rescue programme, supported by the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service. In June 2023, the charity had a daily working relationship with 27 SPAR Supermarkets and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets across the country. SPAR Hungary and the Maltese Charity Service plan to increase the number of SPAR stores supporting their food waste reduction initiative.

SPAR UK raises £100,000 for local charities

SPAR UK recently launched the second edition of their hugely successful Community Cashback scheme. Shoppers from all over the UK could apply for a grant for an organisation they felt deserved funding. The initiative rewards charities and groups for their selfless and vital work in their localities. An incredible 13,500 applications were received in 2023. In total £100,000 (€116,841) in grants were handed out to various charities and organisations across the UK. You can read more here about the winners of the 2023 Community Cashback scheme.

SPAR Austria team members step it up to support people with diabetes

SPAR Austria and insurance company UNIQA teamed up to donate €10,000 to the ‘We are Diabetes’ charity, which supports people with diabetes and their relatives. The donation was raised by the companies’ team members, who tracked each step taken from January until the end of May in the SPAR Austria Health Coach app. With each step, participants contributed to representing the needs of about 600,000 individuals with diabetes in Austria.

SPAR Austria’s continuous support of SOS Children’s Villages

In its 19th year of supporting SOS Children’s Villages, INTERSPAR Austria donated a further €133,000 to the charity. This year’s donation benefits the SOS Children’s Village in Altmünster, where many of the existing houses have been replaced by new buildings. INTERSPAR Austria’s support will go towards the construction of a new family house.

SPAR Slovenia donates toys that promote health to hospitals and child support groups

SPAR Slovenia donated Super Foodies dominoes to paediatric departments of 13 hospitals, 29 kindergartens, and three non-profit organisations in the country. These toys, worth around €10,000, aim to help children learn about healthy eating while having fun.

SPAR Gran Canaria donations to support people in need of food

SPAR Gran Canaria continues supporting vulnerable groups through the “No Home without Food” campaign by ‘La Caixa’ foundation and ‘Caixabank’. This year, the chain donated 1,200 litres of milk from Canary Island dairy farms and 600 kilos of gofio, a local cereal, to the Las Palmas Food Bank.

In August, SPAR Gran Canarias member Perez Bolaños chain sold 3,000 solidarity bracelets in their Agüimes stores to support the Vará del Pescao initiative. They raised €1,500 from these sales, which were handed over to Cáritas representatives at SPAR Zoco Negro to help residents in need of food.

Sources: SPAR Zimbabwe, SPAR Ireland, SPAR UK, SPAR Hungary, SPAR Austria, SPAR Slovenia, SPAR Spain