Aldi Ireland has today launched its 2022 Community Grants programme, inviting charities and community groups across Ireland to apply for funding through their local Aldi store.

Aldi will distribute more than 160 €500 bursary grants through the programme this year, totalling to over €80,000 worth of funding for Irish causes that contribute vital work and services to their local communities.

Staff from each of Aldi’s stores, its two distribution centres and corporate offices will select a charity or community organisation in their local area to award the bursary to, enabling Aldi’s staff to help the local good causes they care about.

Charities wishing to put themselves forward for the bursary donation can apply at any of Aldi’s 149 stores across the country.

The initiative was launched today by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, at Aldi’s Carrickmacross Store, Co. Monaghan.

Welcoming the initiative, Minister Humphreys said:

“Our charities and community groups have gone above and beyond in recent months, supporting some of our most vulnerable citizens during the middle of a pandemic.

“I really welcome the announcement that Aldi will be supporting even more local causes through its Community Grants programme in 2022. These grants represent an important contribution for many of these organisations who continue to play a critical role in the communities they serve.

“Supporting and recognising the work of local community organisations is a priority for Government and underpins our five year rural development strategy, ‘Our Rural Future’. It is fantastic to see Aldi’s staff directly helping local good causes that they are clearly passionate about.”

John Curtin, Group Buying Director, Aldi Ireland said: “While the past two years have certainly been challenging for many charities and community groups across the country, it is important now as we return to some normality that we continue to support the local organisations that make such a difference to the lives of so many in our communities.”

By the end of 2022, Aldi’s Community Grants programme will have donated €537,000 to over 1,000 local charity branches and community groups across Ireland since its inception in 2016. Receiving charities and organisations have ranged from rescue teams to animal sanctuaries, disability support to mental health support, and everything in between.

Operating 149 stores around Ireland, Aldi is deeply involved in the local communities its stores serve. To date, Aldi has donated a total of 2.35 million meals to FoodCloud, €440,000 (raised from Aldi stock sold in-store, on-pack donations, voucher donations, partnership support and staff/customer donations) to Barnardos since partnering in November 2020, and will have raised €537,000 through its Community Grants programme by the end of the year.