Cork EUROSPAR supermarkets supporting St Vincent de Paul

FOUR Cork EUROSPAR supermarkets are supporting the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Empty Basket Easter Appeal this year, which is aimed at ensuring those most in need this Easter season don’t go without, with all in-store donations being used within local communities.

With nearly one third of all calls received each year by SVP a request for food, EUROSPAR Retailers are facilitating shoppers donating non-perishable items at their local EUROSPAR Supermarket for the benefit of their local St Vincent de Paul Conference. 

While shopping in John Cuddihy’s EUROSPAR Barryroe; Shane Jones’ EUROSPAR Cobh; Gordon Benn’s EUROSPAR Skibbereen, and Kevin Day’s EUROSPAR Whitegate, shoppers are asked to place any non-perishable items in the trolley or receptacle designated for the ‘Empty Basket Appeal’.

The campaign is taking place through Easter and in order to allay any concerns around the distribution and transferral of food, all contributions will be converted to their monetary value at the end of the campaign and will be converted into EUROSPAR Vouchers. The vouchers will then be given to the local St Vincent de Paul Conference.

Commenting Malachy Hanberry, EUROSPAR Managing Director said: “These EUROSPAR Retailers have a long tradition of supporting charities and those most vulnerable in our society. 

"Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis they have been providing their shoppers and local communities with a safe and healthy shopping environment and their facilitating of this fundraising initiative for the St Vincent de Paul is another example of their commitment to the communities they serve.” 

Of the 160,000 calls made to SVP in 2020, 50,000 of them were requests for food, with SVP National President Rose McGowan, saying: “We are very grateful to all the local EUROSPAR retailers supporting this initiative. Fundraising in the middle of a global pandemic has been very challenging and we are thrilled to have EUROSPAR on board to help the most vulnerable in their local communities. 

"Many of those we help struggle on low pay and constantly have to make choices with regard to what bills to pay, or what food or household goods to buy. Our sincere thanks to EUROSPAR for the continued support.”