– 100% of proceeds from the sale of the shirts are donated to Indspire in support of the Learning from the Past Fund –

– Last year's campaign raised more than $207,000 for Indspire –

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 30, 2023 /CNW/ - Giant Tiger Stores Limited is proud to announce today the launch of its second-year collaboration with the national Indigenous charity Indspire. This collaboration offers Canadians an exclusive orange shirt designed to raise funds in support of Indigenous post-secondary students through Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund, and creates awareness for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Created by Two-Spirit Ojibway artist Patrick Hunter, this custom shirt is available now at your local Giant Tiger store and online at GiantTiger.com, with 100% of proceeds from the sale of the shirt donated to Indspire in support of the Learning from the Past Fund.

"This partnership with Giant Tiger and Patrick Hunter is a tangible sign of reconciliation in action, standing as a testament to the life-changing power of positive collaboration," said Mike DeGagné, President & CEO of Indspire. "Thanks to this shared endeavour, hundreds of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit learners across Turtle Island have been empowered to pursue their educational goals. We are pleased to be working together on this important initiative again, and we look forward to its continued success."

The following students shared their gratitude for the impact Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund has had on their education and personal growth:

"Thanks to Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund, I can pursue my passion for language and culture revitalization through the Indigenous Studies Undergraduate program at Trent University. I look forward to a career that can assist First Nation communities, including my own, and I am confident that the expertise and knowledge I have gained through my studies will allow me to make a lasting difference." – Ashley, Indigenous Studies Undergraduate Program, Trent University

"As a mother of two young boys, Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund provided much-needed financial assistance to me and my children so I could focus on my studies. I aspire to one day give back to Indigenous students in the same way. Thank you for your generous support." – Kayla, Bachelor's Degree, Native Studies and Elementary Education, University of Alberta

"My goal is to graduate with an Indigenous Studies degree and combine it with my cultural knowledge to create a better future for all Nêhiyawak people. The acknowledgment and financial support I have received through Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund has had a profound impact on me. It has relieved the financial burden, instilled confidence in my endeavours, and reminded me that there are caring individuals out there. I am deeply humbled, honoured, and immensely grateful for the generous support." – Megan, Bachelor's Degree, Indigenous Studies, University of Regina

"We believe that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provides an important opportunity to engage in meaningful and lasting discussions about the impacts of residential schools on Indigenous communities. At Giant Tiger, we are dedicated to raising awareness and actively participating in this ongoing conversation," said Alison Scarlett, Head of Public Relations and Communications and DE&I Council Co-Chair at Giant Tiger Stores Limited. "We are thrilled to build on the success of our inaugural campaign and continue our partnership with Indspire to provide Canadians with the opportunity to support Indigenous students. The unwavering support from our customers and communities across the country has made a significant impact in empowering students through education in the communities we call home."

As a longstanding partner of Indspire, Giant Tiger actively supports three essential programs, contributing a total of $75,000 annually, in addition to the proceeds from the shirt collaboration. These programs include Indspire's annual Soaring: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering; Indspire's Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards (BBF) program, which supports Indigenous youth in Giant Tiger communities; and Rivers to Success, an Indigenous student mentorship program that supports students as they graduate and become the leaders of tomorrow.

For more information on the campaign and the impact of Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund, please visit gianttiger.com/pages/truth-and-reconciliation.

Indspire is a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. With the support of its funding partners, Indspire provides financial awards, delivers programs, and shares resources so that First Nations, Inuit and Métis students will achieve their highest potential. In 2022-2023, Indspire provided more than $27 million through 7,522 bursaries and scholarships to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students across Canada. For more information, please visit www.Indspire.ca.

Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund provides bursaries to Indigenous post-secondary students pursuing an education in Indigenous Studies and Languages. For more information on Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund, please visit indspire.ca/learning-from-the-past/.  

Giant Tiger, the leading Canadian-owned family discount store, is on a mission to make every dollar matter and is committed to providing on-trend family fashion, groceries and everyday household needs. The privately held company has over 260 locations across Canada and proudly employs over 10,000 members of Team Tiger. All Giant Tiger locations are locally owned or operated by a team member who knows the community. Whether Canadians are shopping in store or online at gianttiger.com, Giant Tiger makes it easy and fun for all to shop smart and save smart every day. #GTCommunityProud #GiantTiger

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