SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- The 20th annual holiday fundraising drive at the Stewart's Shops convenience store chain surpassed $1 million for the first time ever, the company said, according to The Business Review of Albany.
Customers dropped $588,000 in dollar bills and coins into Holiday Match buckets in Stewart's stores between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The company matched the contributions dollar-for-dollar, bringing the total to $1.176 million, said the report.
The total was a 29% increase over last year. Stewart's has 322 [image-nocss] stores in eastern New York and western Vermont.
It just gets bigger and better every year, Stewart's Foundation president Susan Dake told the newspaper. It shows the incredible commitment of our customers, shop employees and media partners to the program and local children's charities.
The money will be distributed to hundreds of local children's charitable organizations in March.
Counting this year's fundraising drive, nearly $10 million has been contributed to local charities since the program began in 1986, said the report. Stewart's said it donates 100% of the funds. There are no administrative fees.
Stewart's donated more than $2 million to local charitable groups in 2006, the Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based company said.
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