Penneys is donating 6,000 care packs filled with over 45,000 products including leggings, t-shirts, underwear, socks, and pyjama sets for HSE frontline workers and patients in several hospitals across Ireland, boxed and delivered by Penneys volunteers.

The HSE donation forms just one part of a global volunteer effort by hundreds of Primark employees to support those at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. Primark care packs containing more than 400,000 products will be delivered to frontline workers, volunteers and patients in cities and towns around the world where Primark has stores.

The move by Penneys responds to calls from health authorities and charities for urgent supplies of everyday items. Penneys care packs will be given to busy staff working back to back shifts or who are staying away from home, often to protect their families from infection.  They will also be offered to patients who have no means of getting a fresh change of clothes or toiletries from home.   

Care packs have so far have been distributed to 21 hospitals in Ireland including The Mater Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Naas General Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, as well as patients at the Citywest facility which was set up at Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre to treat people with Covid-19. In addition to the 45,000 everyday items donated in Ireland, Penneys distributed over 20,000 Easter food products to Focus Ireland over the Easter weekend.

Paul Marchant, CEO, Penneys/Primark commented: “This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the healthcare heroes working tirelessly in the fight against COVID-19. We are proud to be able to provide much-needed everyday items like underwear, t-shirts and towels and hope this will make things a little easier at the end of long shifts. I also want to thank all our colleagues who have played their part, volunteering to pack, coordinate and deliver care packs to hospitals, charities and other healthcare organisations, to help frontline workers and patients across Europe and the US.”

It’s not just in Ireland, Primark is supporting a variety of hospitals, first responders and charities working around the world.