Philanthropy in Action: Debra Ireland, supported by the Applegreen Charitable Fund
In 2018, the Applegreen Charitable Fund announced the continuance of their support for Debra Ireland for a second two-year term. Such strategic engagement and support is facilitating key developments in the delivery of their core services.
The major petrol forecourt retailer first partnered with Debra Ireland in January 2016 to deliver the EB Community Care programme which sought to give patients and parents access to an outreach service, leaving no gap between hospital and home.
Debra Ireland’s Judith Gilsenan recognises the courage of Applegreen who ‘took the initial leap of faith’ in 2016 to become Debra Ireland’s first corporate supporter of this size. Applegreen’s support of Debra Ireland has resulted in a confidence in the charity that has attracted additional large corporate donations. But the true legacy of the Applegreen-Debra Ireland partnership is an EB Outreach Nurse, providing hospital expertise at home to EB patients. The success of, and need for this service has resulted in the securing of HSE funding to continue to provide this support to families- clear evidence of philanthropy as a tipping agent for long-term change.
The collaboration with Applegreen, has not only afforded Debra Ireland the
resources to increase the services they offer to the patients and families of those suffering from EB, but with 115 stores around the country, the partnership has been hugely beneficial to raising of awareness of EB amongst the public.
Applegreen fund their giving partnerships through an initiative that sees a 1c
contribution from every shop and fuel or a shop-only purchase, in Applegreen in Ireland, to the Applegreen Charitable Fund at no extra cost to the customer along with funds coming from national service station events, corporate events and donations.
Since 2009 Applegreen have reached a milestone of €3 Million raised and dispersed through its charitable fund.
We look forward to hearing from Applegreen and Debra Ireland throughout the next two-years of their partnership.
