Dublin GAA star Philly McMahon has teamed up with Tesco Ireland in a new pilot programme that will provide thousands of meals to feed children and families across Ireland.
According to the retailer, Stronger Starts, in partnership with the Good Grub Initiative, will provide 1,000 families per week with free nutritious food packages containing potatoes, carrots, onions, and apples, to support them in preparing healthy meals at home.
Speaking about swapping his Dublin jersey for a different type of All Ireland campaign, McMahon said that giving back to his community has always been a top priority for him. "I’ve seen first-hand how giving children and their families a strong start can make a positive difference in their lives and the lives of others," he said.
About Good Grub
Good Grub is a not-for-profit initiative that has delivered nutritious fruit and vegetable parcels directly to the families of a number of DEIS school children around Ireland since the start of the pandemic.
During the pilot, home school community liaison officers in over 40 Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) will identify families who may need supplemental support at home this winter.
Tesco began partnering with the Good Grub Initiative as a pilot programme in November 2021 and the pilot campaign, which will run until February, will see Tesco provide the equivalent of over 120,000 thousand meals to families most in need in communities around Ireland.
The new partnership with Tesco has been warmly welcomed by the Good Grub Initiative co-founder Denis O’Reilly, who said it would help their work in supplying food to many families around the country.
“We’re delighted that Tesco has come on board to help us provide nutritious packs of healthy food going into the homes that need them, complementing the Government and food provision programmes already in place in schools," he said.
"This will make a huge difference to so many people that have been affected by increased food insecurity because of the pandemic."
Local Heroes
As part of the campaign, Tesco said that it will also partner with a number of local heroes from around Ireland who will create compelling video content to demonstrate how healthy and nutritious food is the best ingredient in any recipe.
“The Stronger Starts pilot programme is a simple way for us and our customers to support families in need around the country," said Tesco Ireland CEO Kari Daniels.
"The Stronger Start programme helps our communities with a healthy start, while also inspiring healthier choices for our customers."
When the pilot is complete in February, Tesco and the Good Grub Initiative will 'review and refine the programme with the aim of reaching more children and families across Ireland.'
2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more Retail News click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
