PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In honor of National Family Day on September 26, The GIANT Company announced today a $1.2 million leadership gift to Please Touch Museum (PTM), the iconic children’s museum located in Philadelphia, officially bringing its new brand platform, For Today’s Table™, to the city. The gift also launches the Museum’s new $5 million campaign, “Creating the Future of Play,” designed to support the institution as it prepares to welcome children and families back in 2021.
“As we prepare to celebrate National Family Day across our company and in all of our stores, we are honored to make this long-term investment in Please Touch Museum, and it is our privilege to join them as they lovingly bring hope, joy, play, and learning to families across Philadelphia,” said Nicholas Bertram, president, The GIANT Company. “Joining forces with this world-class children’s museum comes at the perfect time as we are embarking on our next chapter, symbolized by For Today’s Table, and continuing our growth in the city.”
Unveiled in late August, For Today’s Table represents and celebrates the noble notion of families gathering around the shared space of a table to enjoy a meal and connect in meaningful ways. With its nearly 44-year history as a source of learning, play, joy and connection for families and the community, PTM uniquely reflected – and connected to – For Today’s Table. The GIANT Company’s gift will be used to modernize and rename PTM’s popular grocery store exhibit.
“This incredible partnership is born at a critical moment for our cherished Museum,” said Patricia D. Wellenbach, president and CEO of Please Touch Museum. “The recent decision to remain closed into 2021 for public health was the right one but certainly, agonizing. As we made that difficult decision, we did so with confidence knowing that The GIANT Company shared our vision for ‘Creating the Future of Play,’ and wanted to take a leadership role in shaping it. As we launch this $5 million campaign for Please Touch Museum, we are deeply grateful to the entire GIANT Company team for their unwavering commitment to this campaign and the reimagination of our beloved Market. This is the exhibit that has brought families ‘to the table’ for more than 40 years and through this significant gift, it will continue to do so for generations to come.”
The GIANT Company will work closely with PTM and its design partner, Gecko Group, to design, develop, construct, and rename the Market exhibit. Although design is in the conceptual phase, the Market will promote both healthy eating and the significance of food in family and cultural celebrations – key values for both The GIANT Company and PTM. The new Market experience will integrate the most popular aspects of the current exhibit with design elements inspired by GIANT stores. In addition, the reimagined exhibit will provide enhanced programming and immersive learning opportunities for young families, addressing topics like agriculture, food insecurity and recycling. Construction is slated to begin in late 2020 with an expected opening in Fall 2021.
“Over the past several months, we’ve seen firsthand that families have recommitted to spending time together, cooking together, and learning together, and it’s inspired us as a brand to do all that we can to help strengthen the families and communities we serve,” Bertram continued. “In collaborating with the Please Touch Museum team, we’ll redesign this treasured exhibit to capture these experiences in a fresh, new way, and one that honors our shared promise to the families we serve.”
Beyond its leadership gift in the Market, The GIANT Company recently coordinated with PTM and its Parkside neighbors on a major community service program, which provided backpacks filled with food and recipes to families in support of Hunger Action Month. When the Museum reopens in 2021, The GIANT Company has also committed to covering the cost of admission for families who visit during the first weekend. Further, Matt Simon, chief marketing officer for The GIANT Company, has joined PTM’s Board of Trustees and will co-chair its “Creating the Future of Play” campaign.
“‘Creating the Future of Play’ will redefine our role in this city and create new learning and support opportunities to help children navigate the complex world around them,” added Wellenbach. “The reinvention of the Market is just the first step in our work to better and more creatively serve the children of this region when we reopen next year. In raising $5 million, we can ensure that Please Touch Museum is fully prepared and future-focused as we help children to discover who they are and all they can be in a changed childhood.”
With its support of “Creating the Future of Play,” The GIANT Company builds upon its strong commitment to Philadelphia and the people who live, work, and play in the city. More, it adds PTM to a growing list of signature partnerships with local institutions, including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philabundance, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
For more information regarding The GIANT Company’s For Today’s Table brand platform, please visit https://giantfoodstores.com/pages/our-brand.
For more information regarding Please Touch Museum’s “Creating the Future of Play” campaign, please visit www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/donate.
About The GIANT Company
The GIANT Company believes that no matter where or how, when meals happen, families connect, and when families connect meaningfully, good happens. Guided by its brand platform, For Today’s Table, the omni-channel retailer proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. With more than 35,000 talented team members supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations, and over 130 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes, The GIANT Company is changing the customer experience and connecting families for a better future. Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pa., The GIANT Company family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN'S, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct. The GIANT Company is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information, visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.
About Please Touch Museum
Please Touch Museum’s mission is to change a child’s life as they discover the power of learning through play and is recognized locally and nationally as one of the best children’s museums in the United States. Please Touch Museum has been temporarily closed to the public since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and anticipates re-opening its doors in 2021, with strict adherence to CDC guidelines as well as city and state mandates.
Media Contacts:
Ashley Flower
860-966-1727
ashley.flower@giantmartins.com
Tracy Curvan
267-788-6868
tcurvan@pleasetouchmuseum.org