Origins:
Since 2020, SPAR Gran Canaria has led the development and implementation of it’s a Social Gift Card Program, an innovative social support initiative designed to strengthen food security and improve access to essential goods for individuals and families experiencing socioeconomic vulnerability. The programme provides public authorities, charitable organisations, foundations and non-profit entities with a secure, efficient and transparent mechanism for delivering food assistance through rechargeable gift cards accepted across SPAR Gran Canaria’s extensive network of supermarkets. By replacing traditional food distribution models with a more flexible and person-centred approach, the programme empowers beneficiaries to independently select the products that best meet their household needs, while preserving their dignity, autonomy and freedom of choice. Over the years, the initiative has evolved into one of the most significant food assistance programmes in Gran Canaria, serving as a trusted platform for collaboration between the private sector, public institutions and civil society organisations. Since its inception, the programme has facilitated the issuance of more than 50,000 cards, channelled over €7 million in social assistance and supported more than 100,000 beneficiaries across the island. In 2025 alone, SPAR Gran Canaria partnered with 38 organisations to implement 90 social initiatives, delivering more than €770,000 in aid to vulnerable individuals and families. Today, the Social Gift Card Program stands as a benchmark in social innovation and community support in Gran Canaria. Through a sustainable and collaborative model, it continues to generate measurable social impact, contributing to the reduction of food insecurity, strengthening social inclusion and enhancing the well-being of communities throughout Gran Canaria.
Contribution:
SPAR Gran Canaria is fully responsible for the operational and technological management of the programme, providing participating social organisations with a comprehensive social gift card platform at no cost, including card issuance, fund loading, monitoring and reporting systems. The initiative is delivered through an extensive network of partnerships involving public administrations, non-governmental organisations, foundations and community associations that utilise the programme to implement food assistance, social inclusion and support initiatives for vulnerable populations. In 2025, the programme supported 90 social projects promoted by 38 partner organisations. Key collaborators included the Spanish Cruz Roja, Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias, Médicos del Mundo, Ciudad San Juan de Dios, Fundación Cruz Blanca, Asociación Oportunidades de Vida, the Spanish Association Against Cancer and Fundación Canaria Pequeño Valiente. The combination of SPAR Gran Canaria’s extensive retail network, operational expertise and strategic partnerships enables the programme to reach all 21 municipalities across Gran Canaria, ensuring that assistance is delivered effectively and adapted to the specific needs of each community.
Objectives:
• Ensure access to food and essential household products for individuals and families experiencing vulnerability.
• Reduce the impact of food insecurity across Gran Canaria.
• Provide public authorities and social organisations with effective tools for the management and delivery of financial assistance programmes.
• Promote the autonomy, dignity and decision-making capacity of beneficiaries.
• Strengthen collaboration between the public sector, private sector and social organisations.
• Foster social inclusion and equal opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of a more efficient, sustainable and people-centred food assistance model.
Impact:
The results achieved have positioned SPAR Gran Canaria’s Social Gift Card Program as one of the most far-reaching food assistance initiatives in Gran Canaria. Between 2020 and 2025, a total of 53,450 social gift cards were issued, channeling more than €7 million in support for the purchase of food and essential household products, benefiting over 100,000 people across Gran Canaria. The programme’s evolution demonstrates it´s scalability, resilience and capacity to respond to changing social needs. In 2021 alone, more than 14.200 cards were issued and over €3 million in assistance was managed. Between 2022 and 2025, the programme maintained a sustained level of activity, with more than 37,000 additional cards issued and nearly €3.5 million allocated to meeting the basic needs of vulnerable individuals and families. The initiative has supported a wide range of impactful social programmes, including financial assistance projects led by the Spanish Cruz Roja or vulnerable populations; social and labour inclusion programmes developed by Médicos del Mundo for women in situations of prostitution; assistance programmes delivered by Ciudad San Juan de Dios; initiatives carried out in partnership with Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias; and support actions promoted by Fundación Cruz Blanca, Asociación Oportunidades de Vida, Fundación Canaria Pequeño Valiente and the Spanish Association Against Cancer. The programme’s success is rooted in its ability to combine operational efficiency, transparency and community proximity, delivering a dignified, flexible and personalised response to those facing the greatest social and economic challenges. Through a strong network of partnerships and a people-centred approach, the programme continues to generate measurable social impact while strengthening food security and social inclusion throughout Gran Canaria.
Quote:
At SPAR Gran Canaria, we believe that access to food is a fundamental right and that businesses have a responsibility to actively contribute to the well-being of the communities they serve. Our Social Gift Card Program is a reflection of that commitment. Through close collaboration with public authorities, social service organizations and third-sector entities, we have built a support network that has helped more than 100.000 people across Gran Canaria. Beyond the numbers, our purpose is to provide assistance that is accessible, effective and respectful of each individual’s dignity, while creating opportunities and improving the quality of life of those facing vulnerable circumstances.
Support Statement:
As a social sector partner, we have witnessed first-hand the positive impact that SPAR Gran Canaria’s Gift Card Programme has on vulnerable individuals and families. This initiative provides a dignified, flexible and effective solution, enabling beneficiaries to access food and essential household products according to their specific needs, while preserving their autonomy and freedom of choice. SPAR Gran Canaria’s extensive retail network and the efficiency of its management system ensure that assistance reaches those in need quickly, securely and transparently. In addition to meeting essential needs, the programme promotes social inclusion and strengthens collaboration among social organisations, public institutions and companies committed to community well-being. We consider the SPAR Gran Canaria Gift Card Programme an outstanding example of how collaboration between the private sector and social organisations can generate a tangible, measurable and lasting social impact, always placing people at the centre. Yours sincerely, San Juan de Dios – Las Palmas
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