Dubai: The Majid Al Futtaim group on Wednesday launched its 11th annual ‘Make A Difference’ campaign to encourage charity during Ramadan.
The campaign promotes the donation of everyday essentials to families in need. Donation items can include clothes, toys, books, food and electronics.
This year, the campaign has been developed in line with the ‘Year of Giving’ initiative in the UAE, which promotes philanthropy.
Alain Bejjani, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Holding, said: “We continue to be inspired by the UAE leadership’s commitment to introduce powerful and worthwhile initiatives like the ‘Year of Giving’. During Ramadan, we are embracing the act of giving with our annual campaign and hope that it plays its part in truly making a difference in people’s lives. The continuous success of the ‘Make A Difference’ Ramadan campaign each year is testament to the spirit of the local communities in which we operate and we hope the success of the campaign continues for many more years to come.”
Lasting from the first day of Ramadan till Eid, Majid Al Futtaim will have special donation boxes placed at its shopping malls, leisure and entertainment destinations, as well as Carrefour stores across the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, and Oman.
People can also follow the campaign on social media by using the #ShareTogether hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Majid Al Futtaim employees will also be taking part in a number of initiatives during the holy month. In collaboration with Red Crescent, employees will help less fortunate children celebrate the joy of Ramadan by hosting a special iftar for them. Employees will also host an iftar for workers at Majid Al Futtaim construction sites and will prepare gift packs for them as part of the ‘We’ve Got Your Back’ campaign.
Ahead of the distribution of donated items at the end of the campaign, employees will gather with their families to fill the Eid boxes with the donations made.
Majid Al Futtaim will partner with Fetchr, the delivery service application, to make the donation process more seamless in the UAE. The partnership will enable customers to contribute to the ‘Make A Difference’ campaign’ as Fetchr has committed to picking up donations and delivering them to Majid Al Futtaim destinations free of charge. Customers need to download the application and place a ‘send’ order using the standard service. They should then enter the pick-up location and time, and enter the promo-code ‘Donate’ for free collection and delivery.
Across the region, Majid Al Futtaim is once again partnering with charitable organisations, including the Red Crescent in the UAE, ensuring distribution of all donated goods through their humanitarian network during Ramadan.
Last year, more than 13,000 people contributed more than 63,000 books, 46,500 toys, and 52,000 kilograms of clothes through the campaign and the company also received $84,868 (Dh311,699) in cash donations from customers.
