Connecting recycling with giving back
Donna Ahern caught up with Adam Harris, CEO, AsIAm to discuss how recent support from SuperValu has enabled Ireland’s Autism Charity to raise vital funds through the DRS
Print2 July 2025
SuperValu announced in May that it has launched a new charity partnership with AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism charity, to offer shoppers the opportunity to donate the money received from returning cans and bottles through the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) at nationwide stores. Through the initiative, customers returning cans and bottles at SuperValu stores will have the option to donate their deposit to the AsIAm.
The charity is currently prominently featured at deposit return stations within SuperValu stores, ensuring shoppers understand how their small actions can lead to big changes, both for the environment and for AsIAm.
Q: What inspired AsIAm to collaborate with SuperValu on this DRS initiative?
A: AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity, has had a long, fruitful partnership with SuperValu, dating back to the roll-out of Autism-Friendly Shopping Hours in 2014. Support from SuperValu has enabled AsIAm to increase public understanding, improve accessibility in communities across Ireland and scale our team and services. We were delighted when the team in Musgrave reached out with this new opportunity. AsIAm is experiencing unprecedented demand to access our support programmes and this initiative is a great way for the public to show its support and ensure that “good money” goes to a good cause. The partnership also provides AsIAm with important visibility through the store network nationwide – at a time in which we are seeing a growth in misinformation around Autism.
Q: How do you envision this partnership contributing to greater autism awareness and inclusion in Ireland?
A: AsIAm must raise approximately 50c in every euro that we spend, just to stand still. While over 5000 families and 1500 Autistic adults are registered to access our national support programmes, we know that at least one in 20 children in Irish schools have an Autism diagnosis and face major barriers to accessing support. At the same time, more Autistic people are ageing out of school or accessing diagnosis later in life. The support from this initiative will enable us to continue to sustain and grow programmes which promote social connection and well-being, promote peer support and help prevent mental health crises. Many of the barriers our community face comes from a lack of public understanding and autism acceptance, this is why partnerships which support the visibility of our community are critical to achieving our vision of an Ireland in which every Autistic person is accepted “as they are” – equal, valued and respected.
Q: Can you share any specific goals or targets AsIAm hopes to achieve through the funds raised from this initiative?
A: AsIAm is now in our second decade of activity, and we have pledged to expand our regional footprint to ensure every Autistic person can access our supports, across the life cycle, as and when they need them in their locality. This is no small feat but is critically needed due to the dirth of autism-specific supports and services and the barriers our community faces to access mainstream public and community services. In the coming months, we will open our first two regional “One-Stop-Shops” in the east and west of the country, whilst simultaneously expanding our national supports offering to new locations across the country. Funding from this initiative can make a powerful impact in the number of people and locations we can reach in 2025.
Q: What challenges did AsIAm face in scaling its services, and how will this partnership help address them?
A: There is such a disconnect between the demand for our services and the resources we have to meet that demand. That is why the support of corporate organisations and the public is path critical to our success. In AsIAm it is not just about what we do, it is how we do it. We are very proud to be an Autistic-led organisation which takes a neuroaffirmative approach to the development and delivery of our support programmes, this has meant recruiting a wide range of skillsets and ensuring our team is reflective of the broader Autistic community. We have more than doubled in size in the last year, in an effort to scale our impact, but this can only be sustained through partnerships such as our relationship with SuperValu.
Q: How does AsIAm plan to engage with local communities to maximise the impact of this initiative?
A: In AsIAm we are very proud of our Autism-Friendly Towns Programme, which started in Clonakilty back in 2018. We now have over 40 committees, across Ireland, working to break down barriers at a local level so that Autistic people can have the same chance to live, work and play in their community. We will be relying on our committees to spread the word and mobilise support in their cities, towns and villages.
Q: What role do you see for corporate partnerships in advancing social causes like autism inclusion?
A: Corporate partnerships are a critical tool not only in terms of funding our work but also reaching audiences who may never think about Autism or realise the power of the individual in taking action to bring about change. If we are serious about inclusion, Autistic people must see themselves reflected in every aspect of Irish society and we need to be comfortable talking about Autism and planning for the needs of our community not just in autism-specific services but across all sectors. It is a challenging time for those of us working in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion as the global political climate indicates that forward progress, on so many fronts, can no longer be taken for granted. That said, I think we have an awful lot to be proud of in terms of Irish businesses holding the line and demonstrating that issues such as disability and discrimination are more important now than ever.
Q: How does AsIAm measure the success of its partnerships, and what metrics are most important?
A: In AsIAm we believe passionately in co-creating all aspects of our work with the community that we serve. Whether it is making shopping more accessible for Autistic people, by changing the environment, or creating employment opportunities for Autistic people, the critical determinant of success is how our community defines it. Also, the measurable difference made for Autistic people accessing this service or engaging with this partner. In the context of a fundraising initiative, the scale and depth of the impact we are enabled to create and the experiences of those who access our services are key. AsIAm also conducts regular polling to understand Autistic experience in Ireland and public attitudes to Autism – this closely guides the development of our work and the programmes we create with corporate partners.
Q: Are there plans to expand this initiative to other retailers or regions in the future?
A: AsIAm is lucky to have a range of very strong corporate partners from PTSB to SuperValu. We are always keen to hear from organisations that want to go on the journey towards a more autism-friendly offering or to support the scaling of our work. The period ahead is an exciting one for AsIAm as we prepare to host the 14th Autism Europe Congress in the RDS from the 11-13 September, providing an incredible launchpad for new corporate partners to engage with us.
Q: What message would you like to convey to individuals considering donating their DRS vouchers to AsIAm?
A: We have all heard that it takes a village to raise a child, but it certainly requires a whole community to come together to break down the pervasive, invisible barriers our community faces. Money which many people will have discounted or forgotten about, can so easily to be converted to enable meaningful change in your community for Autistic people. By helping to protect the environment for all, you can also help create the same chance for Autistic people to participate in activities in the community that most take for granted.
Read more: SuperValu’s ‘Tap to Donate’ fundraiser back for World Autism Month to raise funds for AsIAm
© 2025, by ShelfLife reporter
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