Giant donates $2M to more than 2,000 schools

LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food of Landover on Tuesday announced it donated $2 million to 2,322 public and private schools in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Delaware. The funds are part of the 2016-2017 A+ School Rewards program, where purchases made by Giant customers help provide funding to area schools.

For the second year in a row, 20 schools received more than $10,000 each as part of the program. Mater Dei School in Bethesda, Md., received the largest check, $29,301.39, as a result of this year’s program.  

“The A+ School Rewards program provides Giant the opportunity to give back to our local community by investing in one of its most important institutions — local schools. Every year, we are continually impressed by the support that members of the community provide to make the program a success,” said Gordon Reid, president, Giant. “We are proud to partner with our schools and our communities to ensure that kids have the greatest and most robust educational experience possible.”

Each fall, Giant customers can sign up and designate up to two schools to benefit from their purchases. A+ School Rewards points accrue with each purchase made using a Giant Card and are credited to the designated schools’ accounts. Since launching the program in 1989, Giant has donated more than $94 million to local schools throughout the communities it serves.

“Mater Dei School would like to thank Giant Food for their generous gift,” said William McMurtrie, headmaster at Mater Dei School. “This donation will have a tremendous impact on our school and curriculum in the coming year.”