CARLISLE, Pa. – GIANT Co. has committed $250,000 to four local community organizations dedicated to racial equality and advancing diversity and inclusion, the company said on Tuesday. This represents the first part of a planned $500,000 in donations.

“Over the past several months the GIANT Company team members have been participating in a number of listening sessions to ensure that new initiatives and collaborations moving forward are inclusive and reflective of the diverse communities in which we operate, and support advancement of racial equality and equity,” said Aaysha Noor, head of diversity and inclusion for GIANT. “To help build stronger communities, the recipient organizations for this initial round of funding all have a strong focus on youth and providing them with the resources needed to put them on a successful path for future growth.”

GIANT will donate $100,000 to the Urban League of Philadelphia, a nonprofit and nonpartisan civil rights organization that works to empower African Americans and other underserved people to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power across the region, the company said. The donation will be used to help feed families in impoverished communities.

“The lack of access to nutritious and affordable food prevents our communities from living a productive and healthy life,” said Andrea Custis, president and CEO of the Urban League of Philadelphia. “Through our partnership with The GIANT Company, we are proud to be able to serve as a resource to underserved communities in this fight against hunger.”

GIANT will also donate $50,000 to each of the following organizations:

• Boys & Girls Clubs, to provide resources and mentorship to the underserved youth throughout local chapters in markets where The GIANT Company operates stores;
• HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, in support of the Inclusion & Diversity Fund for Excellence to implement collegewide initiatives related to inclusion and diversity and awarding of scholarships to students from diverse backgrounds;
• NAACP Pennsylvania, to assist with statewide initiatives including but not limited to working with school districts on virtual education needs and recruiting college students through NEXT Generation Leadership to mentor and provide tutoring.

“It is my pleasure and honor to partner with the GIANT Company,” said Kenneth Huston, state president of NAACP Pennsylvania. “We look forward to an awesome relationship of equity and equality of all.”

In addition to supporting community efforts dedicated to racial equality, GIANT said it will also be funding internal efforts focused on diversity and inclusion education, awareness, training and professional development to create a culture of inclusion for all team members, supplier partners and customers.

“We are committed to actively championing diversity and equality in all that we do and aspire to collectively build a culture of inclusion and belonging for all of our team members, supplier partners, customers and neighbors,” GIANT president Nicholas Bertram said. “This includes a focus on connecting families of all types for a better future, because strong families create strong communities. And if our communities are strong and celebrate the diversity among us, our world is strong.”

Additional donations will be announced over the next several months. The GIANT Company’s investment is part of a $5 million commitment made by parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, to support racial equality and diversity and inclusion efforts.