Community Involvement

IGA and MarketPlace IGA stores not only give back to their local communities but together as an alliance, the stores provide support to other charities on an annual basis, helping raise much needed funds through programs and campaigns that benefit others. Each IGA and MarketPlace IGA store participates and helps groups and charities within their unique community: be it the local food bank, shelter, church group, Lion’s Club or school – every store has the ability to give back.

As well as such individual store-level programs, IGA and MarketPlace IGA also works as a chain with a number of charities on an annual basis, helping raise much-needed funds. We’d like to share some information with you about a few of these campaigns and hope you consider helping us, help others.

Bunches of Love:

For the past 7 years, IGA and MarketPlace IGA has been involved (chain-wide) helping to raise an average of $6,000 annually through our promise to donate $1.00 from each ‘Bunches of Love’ bouquets sold to the BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre Foundation.

This program has found great success with the weekly introduction of three different fresh-cut arrangements which are promoted as part of this project. These beautiful bouquets are available at every IGA or MarketPlace IGA location for a limited time and raise funds for the foundation helping to provide the highest level of care to pregnant women and newborns in British Columbia.

Easter Seals Paper Egg Campaign

Customers have the opportunity to purchase Easter Seals Paper Eggs to support children with disabilities at a cost of only $2 (100% of funds raised go towards helping the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities and all funds raised in BC will stay in BC).

Heart to Heart Campaign for Variety the Children’s Charity

This chain-wide campaign helps IGA and MarketPlace IGA raise about $5,000 for Variety the Children’s Charity each year through our heart-shaped donuts donations program. In February, customers can help us donate $1.00 from each purchase of a 6 pack of freshly made heart shaped donuts directly to Variety the Children’s Charity. A donation of 50¢ from the purchase of a 12 oz coffee and heart shaped donut are also made in support of this charity as well.

Kids Coin Drive For Variety

This program coincides with back-to-school and is one of our most popular fundraising efforts. IGA and MarketPlace IGA stores collect donations for the Kids Coin Drive for Variety to support children with special needs. We invite our customers to participate through small donations at the till or through the use of scan cards that act as a donation display throughout our stores.

Daffodil Month with support from IGA and MarketPlace IGA

This spring, the Canadian Cancer Society created a movement across Canada. Starting throughout the month of April, we asked the public to join the fight against cancer by making a donation to the CCS and wearing our badge of courage, the Daffodil Pin. This little yellow symbol will let people fighting the disease know that they are not alone on their cancer journey.

The Daffodil Campaign runs from April 1st to the 30th, and includes the celebration of Daffodil Day on April 27th. Our goal is to have everyone wear a daffodil pin on Daffodil Day to show support for people fighting the disease. IGA and MarketPlace IGA are a provincial partner in this campaign and allowed the sale of daffodils at their locations for the month of April. In 2011 we raised over $19,500.00 for the Canadian Cancer Society.