Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley and The GIANT Company Partner to Grant GIANT Wishes $250,000 Donation to Grant 19 GIANT Wishes

Origins:

In October 2025, Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley announced that The GIANT Company was supporting local wish children by making a $250,000 donation. Through the donation, the company granted 19 GIANT wishes, including 17 for local children through Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, and one each for Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia and Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic. As part of this commitment, select GIANT and MARTIN’S stores hosted special in-store celebrations to honor each Wish recipient, all facing critical illnesses, and bring the joy of a wish to life. Each celebration was designed to uplift a child and their family. Store team members guided the child through a fun scavenger hunt, highlighted the unique wish the company has helped grant, and came together as a community to share in the hope and joy that a wish provides.

Contribution:

The GIANT Company’s partnership with Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley reflects its mission of supporting kids’ health because they provide a source of hope to children fighting critical illness. Make-A-Wish grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. A wish gives a child the chance to dream big and focus on excitement and joy during some of their hardest days. Of the 19 wishes supported by The GIANT Company, most popular were family vacations including trips to Disney, Hawaii, and Florida, with other wish recipients opting for a playroom makeover, swimming pool and to be a princess for the day.

Objectives:

The goal of the partnership was to create memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for children facing critical illnesses and their families. According to Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, in the last year, it granted 333 wishes, yet more than 350 children are still waiting for their wishes to come true. A secondary goal was to provide team members with an opportunity to live the company’s mission of delivering kindness while supporting one its philanthropic focus areas, supporting kids’ health. The in-store celebrations were a true success, with team members expressing an overwhelming desire to continue the partnership the following year.

Impact:

This collaboration reinforces The GIANT Company’s mission to changing children’s lives, working with organizations who are leading the charge to eradicate childhood illness and fighting for all children to live healthy, joyful lives. Because of The GIANT Company’s support, 19 wishes were able to be granted and the foundation was laid for future wishes, providing significant support to the nonprofit organization.

“The GIANT Company’s generosity and commitment to families will directly impact children facing critical illnesses in our region,” said Jennifer Davis, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley. “Through Make a Difference Miracles, GIANT is not only helping grant wishes, but they are also creating unforgettable moments of joy and connection for families when they need it most.” According to Make-A-Wish, 9 out of 10 Wish parents saw their child’s emotional wellbeing improve with a wish and 9 out of 10 medical providers saw a wish increased compliance with treatment and had a positive impact on a child’s overall quality of life. In addition, out of 10 kids reported their wish gave them the strength to fight their illness.

Quote:

“At The GIANT Company, we believe that every child deserves the chance to live healthy, joyful lives and this extends to creating moments of hope and happiness for children facing critical illness,” John Ruane, president, The GIANT Company.

“We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Make-A-Wish to create once-in-a-lifetime memories for local wish kids in our region and their families, and we know it will be a special experience for our team members, too.”

Support Statement:

We wanted to send a heartfelt thank you for partnering with us for the Making a Difference Campaign. The families were truly touched by the store visits, and many of them sent us messages of appreciation. Your teams went above and beyond to make each celebration so special and impactful. To capture the spirit and impact of the campaign, we created a flipbook highlighting each wish as a thank-you. Please flip through the pages to experience the heart and essence of the campaign. Thanks to your incredible efforts, you not only touched the lives of 19 children and their families—you also helped make countless future wishes possible. We are so very grateful for this partnership. Together, we are bringing hope, joy, and the power of a wish to children and families in our community. With appreciation, Ann Shields Development Director of Harrisburg Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley