ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- “Convenience stores are literally changing lives,” said Jeff Lenard. The vice president of strategic industry initiatives for NACS was talking about chains that have partnered with the National Safe Place Network to help youth in distress.
“These stores provide a safe place where runaways and at-risk youth can come in off the street, receive food and drink and wait for a volunteer from a Safe Place agency partner to connect them with professional help or a place to stay until their situation is resolved,” he said, specifically noting QuikTrip, which has been active with Safe Place since 1991.
Convenience stores are a great fit for programs such as Safe Place because they are intensely local businesses: 90% of Americans say a convenience store is within 10 minutes from their home. Cumulatively, the U.S. convenience-store industry serves 160 million customers per day—meaning that, on average, more than half of the U.S. population is at a convenience store every day.
Both QuikTrip and NACS serve on the National Safe Place Network Board of Directors, and all are anxious to get more c-store retailers involved in the program.
“Unfortunately, young people face troubling issues in today’s world, and it’s up to all of us to offer solutions, places where youth can go to connect to immediate help,” said Laurie Jackson, president and CEO of National Safe Place Network, in a NACS podcast. “Convenience stores are an essential thread in the national safety net for youth as each store has the opportunity to serve as a community leader providing compassion, support and attention to young people in need.”
Click here to learn more about how your store of chain can get involved with the National Safe Place Network.
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