ODESSA, Texas -- Alon USA's Southwest Convenience Stores LLC has donated more than 200 cell phones to Safe Place of the Permian Basin, which provides support for victims of domestic violence.
The company presented Safe Place with 208 complete sets of Trac Phonesincluding a phone, a battery and the phone chargerwith a total value of about $20,000.
Safe Place will give the phones to victims of domestic abuse so that they have a way to call 9-1-1 or to contact Safe Place. "We're always needing to give our ladies some security. We can give [image-nocss] them a phone to have, so if they need emergency assistance, they have it," said Monica Windham, an advocate with Safe Place.
The Trac Phones were being discontinued at 7-Eleven stores; so instead of throwing away the phones, Southwest Convenience Storesthe largest licensee of 7-Eleven stores in North America with more than 160 sites in West Texas and New Mexicodecided to donate them to a good cause.
"Monica was a little shell-shocked when we brought all the boxes in," said Andy Pochatko, vice president of operations for Southwest Convenience Stores, which is owned by Dalls-based Alon USA. "It's obvious they needed a means of communication. Nothing is more scary than feeling alone, especially when you're in danger."
And separately, in other community fundraising news, Reay's Ranch Investors LLC, which operates Super Stops, Minit Markets c-stores and Gordon's Markets grocery stores in Pima, Gila, Cochise, Graham and Pinal counties in the Tucson, Ariz., metropolitan area, hosted a charity drive to raise funds for Arizona's Children Association from April 1 through May 14.
It raised $28,723 by selling sunflower placards for a $1 donation at each Super Stop and Minit Market.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.