Asda Foundation grants help community group expand facilities

A community outreach project in Portadown supporting marginalised young people, families in need and older people facing isolation has expanded its facilities and support services thanks to grants worth £1,600 from our charity, the Asda Foundation.

The donations to the Y Zone are enabling it to develop a community garden and an extension of its food supply service to local families.

Gail Best, who set up the Y Zone project with her husband Campbell, said: “Asda’s funds, together with the hands-on support and enthusiasm of community champion Elaine Livingstone, has been invaluable, helping us to enhance our services and provide a safe outdoor space for those who need us most."

Our chief customer officer Meghan Farren visited the project to see the impact donations from the Asda Foundation have on local projects like Y Zone.

She said: “It is always a privilege to experience and visit projects such as Y Zone to learn how our funding is helping make a difference at a grassroots level in the communities we serve. There’s no doubt, the project is of great value.

“Gail, Campbell and the team have such a positive and progressive outlook and do all they can to ensure the services they offer are helping to change people’s lives.

"This has been particularly relevant throughout the pandemic due to its impact on many isolated or marginalised individuals. We applaud all involved in Y Zone Portadown!"

The Asda Foundation is an independent charity with more than 30 years’ history of helping people in local communities. Its mission is to transform communities and improve lives throughout the UK, complementing our stores’ ambition to be at the heart of local communities, through building long-term community resilience and being there in times of crisis.

It supports grassroots organisations in making a real impact, and supports local communities in emergencies, reacting quickly to help people in the immediate hours following a disaster.