Car rental company to invest €120,000 in Crosscare over the next six years
As part of a US$60 million programme launched by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation to combat hunger in Europe and North America, social support agency Crosscare has received the first of six €20,000 annual donations to help fight food poverty in Ireland.
The donation is part of a wider initiative by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation called Fill Your Tank, which has been designed to celebrate the company’s 60th global anniversary this year and its 20th anniversary in Ireland.
As part of the initiative, the company will provide US$60 million over the next six years to address food insecurity in the countries where it has wholly-owned business operations in Europe and North America.
In Europe, the initiative is being carried out in collaboration with The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), a not-for-profit organisation that accelerates the development and growth of food banks in more than 30 countries around the world.
Through its worldwide partnership with GFN, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is investing a total of €120,000 to address hunger in Ireland through Crosscare over the next six years.
This grant will help to increase Crosscare’s capacity to redistribute surplus food to people in need throughout the country and to supply the charity’s cafés.
According to the Department of Social Protection, 13.1% of the Irish population experienced food poverty in 2014.
Dublin-based Crosscare operates food banks which distribute food to those most in need. In addition to running food banks and community cafés, the charity provides a range of social care, homeless services, community and youth work.
Its work is not confined to the Dublin area as its food bank operation provides much needed food supplies to hundreds of organisations in need.
Crosscare’s food banks collect surplus food products from food producers, supermarkets, farms, etc., and then redistribute the donated products to charities across the country living in food poverty.
The organisation accepts various items, from frozen foods to household and personal care products.
Conor Hickey, CEO of Crosscare, said: “Crosscare is thrilled to be partnering with Enterprise to tackle food poverty in Ireland. We are grateful for the very generous donation, which we will receive over the next six years. In the immediate term, the current donation will be used to purchase a refrigerated vehicle to help transport food to those most in need in Ireland. In the coming years we hope that, with GFN and Enterprise’s support, we can help thousands of people through the provision of essential food and support services.”
George O’Connor, Managing Director, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ireland, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Crosscare as food insecurity is prevalent in many communities across Ireland. As an organisation with 25 branches across the country, supporting the communities where we operate is a vital part of the Enterprise culture. In particular it is an honour to be able to make this donation on our company’s 20th anniversary in business in Ireland and 60th anniversary globally.”
Lisa Moon, President and CEO of The Global FoodBanking Network, said: “This extraordinary gift will make a tremendous difference in alleviating hunger in Ireland and around the world in a meaningful way. The donation will help expand efforts to support social inclusion while reducing food waste and its harmful effects on our environment. It will help break barriers that keep people from achieving their full potential and leading healthy, productive lives.”
