Charis Charity Shop Gift Card partnership set to drive up social value

Charis has added The Charity Shop Gift Card to its range of digital vouchers available on the Charis Shop platform.  Redeemable in hundreds of stores around the country, The Charity Shop Gift Card not only bolsters charity revenues, it also creates significant social value, positively impacting the wellbeing of local communities.

Charity shops have long been a hub of communities and have recently been highlighted as a key generator of social value. A recent report commissioned by the Charity Retail Association (CRA) stated that for every £1 spent in a charity shop, £7.35 of social value was generated - having a vast positive impact on those people whose lives charity shops touch.

Adding these vouchers to the Charis Shop will enable social housing organisations, welfare support teams, advice agencies and charities to provide beneficiaries with the means to take advantage of the wide array of donated goods stocked by charity shops - from clothes and homeware to books and puzzles, and toys for children.

"Helping our Charis Shop partners to support local charity shops and hospices is an excellent way of increasing that social value. Anyone struggling with the cost of living is more likely to be struggling with stress.  The CRA report highlights how charity shops not only create huge economic value for shoppers, they can also improve shoppers' mental health. The process of ‘giving back' and its positive impact on the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals within a community cannot be overestimated," commentedCharisdirector of client services, Jonathan Hunt.

The Charity Gift Shop managing director, Lee Fellows, added:

"Charity shops are more than simply a place for a bargain - they contribute significantly to local economies, act as a community hub, and strengthen our collective commitment to sustainability and reducing the impact of our consumption on the environment. Partnering with Charis will allow us to reach thousands more vulnerable people through their partner network, in turn benefitting the charities and creating further social value for local communities."

The Charis Shop is an e-commerce platform, enabling social housing organisations, charities and teams involved in helping vulnerable communities distribute critical support. That support comes in the form of everything from shopping, food and energy vouchers to replacement electrical appliances and furniture, to Winter Warmth bundles.

The Charity Shop Gift Card was developed and launched in partnership with the Charity Retail Association. It allows beneficiaries to shop with dignity and choice in their local participating charity shops.

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Kate Ashley-Norman

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