Applegreen’s charity partner Barretstown will receive $600,000 (€550,000) after the chief executive of the retailer secured a donation and matched the amount, it was reported today.
The original $300,000 donation was awarded at the inaugural Blackstone Gives Back Challenge in New York.
After winning the funding, Applegreen chief executive Joe Barrett announced the retailer would be matching the donation, securing $600,000 overall for Barretstown.
The Blackstone Give Back Challenge
The investment manager Blackstone is the main shareholder in Applegreen, and the event was part of the Blackstone CEO conference .
The Blackstone Give Back Challenge had previously operated internally. This is the first year it was opened to Blackstone portfolio companies as a global grant competition.
As part of the challenge, companies pitched their charity partnerships and a shortlist was selected.
Applegreen made it to the final three. Barrett then made a short presentation about the success of Applegreen’s partnership with Barretstown.
The presentation also highlighted the impact additional funding would have on the charity should they win it.
Following a vote by the CEOs present, Applegreen came first and won the $300,000 funding. Barret immediately announced Applegreen’s intention to match the donation.
‘Tremendously Generous’
Last year, Applegreen committed to a €1 million three-year partnership with Barretstown.
This latest donation brings the total amount committed by Applegreen to more than €1.5 million.
Chief executive of Barretstown Dee Ahearn said, “This is a tremendously generous donation from Applegreen and Blackstone, which will have a hugely significant positive impact on the lives of the families we serve.”
Barret said of the ongoing partnership with Barretstown, “We will continue to work tirelessly to support Barretstown over the remaining 21 months of our partnership, both by continuing our own fundraising activities, and also by encouraging our customers to donate.”
Maura Pally, Blackstone Charitable Foundation Executive Director, said the organisation was delighted to help Applegreen support Barretstown.
Pally said, “To see Applegreen immediately match that donation with an additional $300,000 for Barretstown was truly amazing.”
Barretstown was founded in 1994 by Hollywood actor Paul Newman. The charity offers special camps and programmes for children and their families living with cancer or other serious illnesses.
Applegreen first opened in Ballyfermot in 1992 and now operates from over 200 locations across Ireland with operations also in the UK and US.
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