Basso’s No Frills made a donation this week to the Salvation Army, thanks to a special program launched at the local grocery store.
Robert Basso, who owns the Wallaceburg location with his wife Tracey, told the Sydenham Current that their ‘Save It Forward’ program is designed for the customer, who chooses a coupon and places it in one of the boxes at the front of the store which are earmarked for a specific local charity.
One of the boxes recently was for the Salvation Army in Wallaceburg.
“Basically what happens, for every coupon that they put in the box, $0.50 goes to the Salvation Army and they save $1. So let’s say Dasani bottled water for example. There would be a $1 off coupon, $0.50 would go to the Wallaceburg Salvation Army if they put it in that box. There is two other community organizations that you can choose to donate to as well.”
Basso said the ‘Save it Forward’ program was created by Loblaws, for stores to support their community and local community organizations.
“And actually show a different way, instead of just solely donations,” he said.
“Like this, our costumers can actually choose their own donation. They can donate to all three is they wanted to. Take three coupons and put one in each.”
Basso said the program started at the Wallaceburg store back in October.
“We were successful with it then and we are on our third round now,” he said.
A cheque for $647.66 was given to the Salvation Army this week.
“We are very appreciative and we were surprised when Robert sent me the email and said this program was happening because I hadn’t know it was happening and that we would benefit from it,” said Captain Stephanie Watkinson, of the Salvation Army Chatham-Kent Ministries.
“This is going to help us tremendously. Not only the financial donation but the product to really restock our food banks shelves in Wallaceburg for the summer or at least for the next couple weeks anyways.”
Basso said a new round of the program is currently underway at the Warwick Drive store.
– Photo credit: Dana Haggith
