UPDATE: Circle K has surpassed its goal of donating 25 million meals to local food banks across the country. The convenience-store chain will continue this initiative at all of its locations in the U.S. and aims to provide 40 million meals this time around.
“We are proud to have reached a donation of 25 million meals through our partnership with Feeding America, and to extend our support to 40 million meals in this time of tremendous need in our communities,” said Brian Hannasch, president and CEO of Circle K. “I want to thank all of our employees and customers for being part of the solution in the communities where we work and live, and for helping Circle K make it easier for so many families in need during these difficult days. As we are all in this together, I am grateful we can turn to them to reach this new goal of 40 million meals.”
LAVAL, Quebec — Through a campaign that began April 10, Circle K convenience stores will donate one meal per fuel transaction to a food bank in the Feeding America network and expects to donate 25 million meals overall to the nonprofit, the company said.
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“During these unprecedented times, Circle K is committed to being part of the solution in the communities where we work and live,” said Brian Hannasch, president and CEO of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., Laval, Quebec, which owns the Circle K brand. “We know many of the families we serve have been impacted and challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our mission as a company has always been to make our customers’ lives a little easier every day, and we know the best way to get through these difficult days is to band together and support each other.”
This move continues Circle K’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier in March, the c-store chain sent much of its workforce—payroll, IT, supply-chain ordering and human resources—to work from home and implemented an emergency appreciation pay increase of $2.50 per hour. It also issued information for health procedures such as proper hand-washing, as well as guidelines for hygiene and cleaning inside stores and at pumps. Later in March, Circle K began offering free coffee, tea and Polar Pop beverages to healthcare workers and first responders, as well as its own front-line store team members. Its most recent initiative was the addition of preventive barriers and social distancing markers in stores.
“We are incredibly thankful to Circle K for its generous donation to the Feeding America network,” said Claire Babineauz-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “Food banks across the country are on the ground addressing the growing need in their communities. Circle K’s support will help to ensure that our neighbors in need do not have to worry about food during this unprecedented time.”
Chicago-based Feeding America is the largest network of food banks, pantries and meal programs in the United States. It has 200 food banks in its network and feeds more than 40 million people nationwide.
With more than 5,900 stores in the United States, Circle K is No. 2 on the Top 40 update to CSP’s 2019 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by number of retail outlets. CSP will release the complete 2020 list in June.
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