The Giant Co. Supports Philly Children's Museum
The Giant Co. has made a $1.2 million donation to Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum in honor of National Family Day, celebrated Sept. 26. The leadership gift is also the grocer's first time bringing its new brand platform, For Today's Table, to the city.
For Today's Table rolled out last month to build on the new company name, logo and purpose, and map out a course for the grocer’s ongoing growth, innovation and investment.
The Giant Co.'s gift to the iconic children's museum is also part of the museum's $5 million campaign, "Creating the Future of Play," supporting the institution as it prepares to welcome children and families back in 2021. The museum has made the decision amid the COVID-19 pandemic to stay closed until 2021.
The donation will be used to modernize and rename the popular grocery store exhibit.
“Over the past several months, we’ve seen firsthand that families have recommitted to spending time together, cooking together and learning together, and it’s inspired us as a brand to do all that we can to help strengthen the families and communities we serve,” said Nicholas Bertram, president of The Giant Co. “In collaborating with the Please Touch Museum team, we’ll redesign this treasured exhibit to capture these experiences in a fresh new way, and one that honors our shared promise to the families we serve.”
The Giant Co. will work closely with the museum and its design partner, Gecko Group, to design, develop, construct and rename the Market exhibit. Although design is in the conceptual phase, the Market will promote both healthy eating and the significance of food in family and cultural celebrations. The new Market experience will integrate the most popular aspects of the current exhibit with design elements inspired by Giant stores.
In addition, the reimagined exhibit will provide enhanced programming and immersive learning opportunities for young families, addressing topics like agriculture, food insecurity and recycling. Construction is slated to begin in late 2020, with an expected opening in fall 2021.
"As we launch this $5 million campaign for Please Touch Museum, we are deeply grateful to the entire Giant Co. team for their unwavering commitment to this campaign and the reimagination of our beloved Market," said Patricia D. Wellenbach, president and CEO of Please Touch Museum. "This is the exhibit that has brought families ‘to the table’ for more than 40 years, and through this significant gift, it will continue to do so for generations to come."
The Giant Co. recently coordinated with Please Touch and its Parkside neighbors on a major community service program, which provided backpacks filled with food and recipes to families in support of Hunger Action Month. When the museum reopens in 2021, the grocer has also committed to covering the cost of admission for families who visit during the first weekend. Further, Matt Simon, chief marketing officer for The Giant Co., has joined the museum’s board of trustees and will co-chair its “Creating the Future of Play” campaign.
“‘Creating the Future of Play’ will redefine our role in this city and create new learning and support opportunities to help children navigate the complex world around them,” added Wellenbach. “The reinvention of the Market is just the first step in our work to better and more creatively serve the children of this region when we reopen next year. In raising $5 million, we can ensure that Please Touch Museum is fully prepared and future-focused as we help children to discover who they are and all they can be in a changed childhood.”
Based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, The Giant Co. is an omnichannel retailer serving millions of customers across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. It has more than 33,000 associates supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations, and 125-plus online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service across hundreds of ZIP codes. The Giant Co. is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
