HOMER, Mich. -- Twenty-nine PS Food Mart stores across south central Michigan and Toledo, Ohio, rallied their employees, customers and neighbors to support families in need this holiday season through the second annual Pop-Tarts' fundraising campaign. Led by the Cooper Street PS Food Mart CITGO in Jackson, Mich., the PopTarts fundraiser achieved record-breaking donations this year, with more than 38,000 Kellogg's PopTarts donated to local food pantries, afterschool programs and churches.
During the month-long campaign, PS Food Mart employees encouraged customers to purchase PopTarts for $1 and donate them to a local charity chosen by the store managers.
The participating PS Food Marts beat last year's record by more than 10,375 PopTarts. The PopTarts were welcomed by the 29 charity recipients, which included the Williamston Food Bank, Trinity Lutheran Child Care, Toledo Food Bank & Church, YWCA, and Marshall Elementary Shamrock Center.
"We're humbled by the generosity of our customers and by the enthusiasm each one of our PS Food Mart employees put forth to help fight hunger here in our community," said Ed Heath, vice president of operations with PS Food Mart. "As we enter the holiday season, it's important to support our local food banks and help stock their shelves with nutritious food for those in need. With the generosity of the PS Food Mart employees and patrons, the charities will be better able to sustain the needs of the less fortunate here in our hometown."
He added, "We are confident the enthusiasm and support of this campaign will continue throughout the year as we help more families in need across the region. PS Food Mart Stores have a wonderful history of charitable giving, raising money for many local and national organizations through PS Food Mart Charities. Our president and CEO, Dick Folk, encourages community outreach programs and this is becoming one of our best."
PS Food Mart Charities is supported in its efforts by CITGO Petroleum Corp., which participates in a wide variety of local charity and community programs.
PS Food Mart is part of Homer, Mich.-based Folk Oil Co.
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
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