PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM AND THE GIANT COMPANY ANNOUNCE OPENING DATE FOR “FOOD & FAMILY” MARKET EXHIBIT AND CELEBRATE WITH A $25,000 DONATION TO FRED’S FOOTSTEPS

PHILADELPHIA, PA (November 15, 2021) – Today, Please Touch Museum (PTM), the iconic children’s museum located in Philadelphia, and The GIANT Company announced that Food & Family, the fully reimagined and much beloved Market exhibit, will open to the public on Wednesday, December 15. The opening day celebration of Food & Family will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and beginning today, Please Touch Museum members can make a reservation to attend. General admission visitors are invited to make a reservation for this special day starting on November 22.

“Just 18 months ago, we announced our commitment to this great children’s museum as an enduring symbol of our continued growth in the City of Philadelphia,” said Nicholas Bertram, president, The GIANT Company. “The opening of Food & Family comes at a perfect time. Not only does it deliver on our purpose of connecting families for a better future, but it also arrives at the holidays when so many families will be coming together, and many for the first time since 2019. What better gift could we give to families and especially the children of this region than a new exhibit in which to play and learn?”

“Our beloved Market is nearly back thanks to our generous friends at The GIANT Company,” said Patricia D. Wellenbach, president and CEO of Please Touch Museum. “The single most asked question I have received from children since the Museum reopened in April has been, ‘When can I play in the supermarket?’ I could not be more excited to finally have an answer! Food & Family is an extraordinary new exhibit that will provide opportunities for families to learn where food comes from, how to prepare and share food, and how food connects people and communities. It aligns with our vision of creating a world where all children are creative, compassionate, confident, and curious and we are excited for the families in our region and beyond to experience this in just a month’s time.”

In celebration of this exciting announcement, and in advance of Thanksgiving, The GIANT Company and PTM hosted a special “Evening of Play” last night for nearly 100 family members from Fred’s Footsteps, a non-profit that provides financial relief to hard-working families in the Philadelphia region who find themselves in a crisis due to the costs associated with caring for a seriously ill, injured, or disabled child. During this event, The GIANT Company, surprised the families in attendance – as well as all current Fred’s Footsteps families – with $250.00 gift cards. This generous surprise donation totaled $25,000 from The GIANT Company. In addition, PTM also gifted all Fred’s Footsteps Families with a free one-year membership to the Museum so that they can return to visit Food & Family when it opens next month.

“We are deeply grateful to The GIANT Company for their incredibly generosity and to Please Touch Museum for hosting such a special evening for our families,” said Christine DiBona Lobley, Executive Director of Fred’s Footsteps. “The opportunity to offer this unique experience to such brave and resilient kids, coupled with the gift cards and museum membership for our families, hopefully brings a bit of joy as well as alleviates some of the financial pressures that often arise during the holiday season.”

Food & Family is a collaboration between PTM and The GIANT Company and its For Today’s Table™ brand platform, which celebrates families gathering around the table to enjoy a meal and connect in meaningful ways. An immersive experience, Food & Family encourages multigenerational learning and inspires children to use their imagination through creative role-playing opportunities in three interconnected content areas: The Shopping Market, The Kitchen and The Festival.

For more information regarding Food & Family at PTM, brought to you by The GIANT Company, please visit: https://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/site-news/get-your-carts-ready-the-market-exhibit-reopens-on-december-15/

About The GIANT Company
Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pa., The GIANT Company is passionate about connecting families and creating healthier communities. As an omni-channel retailer, The GIANT Company proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. With more than 35,000 talented team members supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations, and over 130 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes, The GIANT Company is changing the customer experience and creating an impact in local communities for a better future. The GIANT Company family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN’S, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct. The GIANT Company is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information, visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.

About Fred’s Footsteps
Fred’s Footsteps is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to Philadelphia-area families who find themselves in a financial crisis when a child is seriously ill, injured or disabled. Fred’s Footsteps was created in 2005 in memory of Fred DiBona, Jr., former President and CEO of Independence Blue Cross and a well-respected community and business leader for more than three decades. In his name, the organization follows in his footsteps to offer a much-needed bridge of financial support to hard-working families so that their child’s health can be their only worry. The organization has provided $7.2 million in support to more than 1,600 families in the Philadelphia region. Support covers non-medical expenses such as mortgages, utilities, necessary home or car modifications, medical equipment not covered by insurance, and more. For additional information, visit www.fredsfootsteps.org.

About Please Touch Museum
Please Touch Museum’s mission is to change a child’s life as they discover the power of learning through play. Recognized locally and nationally as one of the best children’s museums in the United States, Please Touch Museum is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and follows current CDC guidelines as well as city and state mandates. For more information, please visit PleaseTouchMuseum.org.