Community Service Roundup, December 2022
By Rachel Gignac on Dec. 29, 2022December was full of community efforts to round out the year, including donations from 11 convenience-store chains, a fuel provider, an energy company and a snack supplier.
Donations resulted in gifts for underprivileged children, food bank funds, tornado relief, heating oil for homes and more.
Click through to read more about the industry’s charitable efforts this month …
Sheetz
Sheetz, Altoona, Pennsylvania, kicked off its annual Sheetz For the Kidz donation campaign this month. Customers supported local families in need of clothes, toys and more this holiday season through donation boxes or adding donations to their purchase at the point of sale.
In partnership with Make-A-Wish, funds raised during the campaign also sponsored wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. The charity sponsored one child per Sheetz operating district, totaling 61 children this year.
Rutter’s
Rutter’s, York, Pennsylvania, donated $75,000 to four local organizations: the Adams County SPCA, Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Ronald McDonald House Central Pennsylvania and York Habitat for Humanity.
Rutter’s raised an additional $75,000 through its Secret Santa program, which gives nominated Rutter’s employees the chance to choose an eligible charity for a $1,000 donation.
This year, Rutter’s also donated $560,000 to benefit the education of children in the community through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. More than 30 organizations received contributions of up to $50,000, including Creative York, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, YMCA of Reading & Berks County, United Way of Mifflin-Juniata, Bedford Country Regional Foundation, Opportunity House and YMCA of Centre County.
Stewart’s Shops
Stewart’s, Ballston Spa, New York, raised more than $2 million for local children’s charities through its Holiday Match program. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, Stewart’s customers donated $1,011,281 to the program, and Stewart’s Shops doubled their donations.
Local children’s charities can encouraged to apply for funding from the Holiday Match Program online through January. All groups applying must be locally based, benefit children under 18 and be a qualified, charitable 501c3 organization. Funds will be allocated in March.
Casey’s General Stores Inc.
Casey’s, Ankeny, Iowa, partnered with Gatorade to donated $100,000 to assist the Dawson Springs, Ky. community in rebuilding after being hit by a tornado.
As part of the Independence Banks’ Horses of Hope project, the donated funds will be used to redevelop the baseball and softball fields across from the local Casey’s. Two fields will be completed in March, and the entirety of the project will be completed in May.
When the storm initially struck, Casey’s launched a round-up-at-the-register campaign to support the American Red Cross’ efforts and raised more than $145,000. The company also made a $10,000 donation and delivered a truckload of water to impacted areas.
Royal Farms
Royal Farms, Baltimore, partnered with Pepsi to donate $100 Royal Farms gift cards to 220 families receiving care at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
In addition, all 50 residents at The Children’s Home of Maryland received a $25 gift card this holiday season. The Children’s Home provides residential and community services to promote long-term well-being and success for young people and families who experience disruption in their lives.
Royal Farms donated chocolate bars, and Pepsi Stronger Together donated Aquafina Water and Frito Lay Chips to the all the children at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and The Children’s Home. Pepsi and Royal Farms also hosted a virtual bingo match at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
In November, Royal Farms also donated 75 K-Cup boxes and creamers to help support the staff at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
MAPCO
MAPCO, Franklin, Tennessee, unveiled on-site gas pumps dedicated to its Fueling Our Future campaign after celebrating the grand opening of its newest store in Huntsville, Ala.
MAPCO plans to donate 25 cents for every gallon pumped to the Huntsville High School Panthers’ athletic programs, in support of local youth recreation. Funds collected at the pumps will be open through January 13.
The Huntsville store team also collected new and gently used coats of all sizes, which were donated to the Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama. This was done in partnership with Celsius Fitness Drinks, which donated 50 coats towards the drive.
Kum & Go
Kum & Go, Des Moines, Iowa, offered E15 grade fuel to all customers for $1.99 per gallon from Dec. 23-26. E15 is a higher octane, cleaner burning, more affordable choice at the pump comprised of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, according to the company.
Approximately 91% of holiday travel is by personal vehicle, according to the United States Department of Transportation. Kum & Go’s claims its offer provided a more sustainable fuel that is better for the environment.
Jacksons Food Stores Inc.
Jacksons, Meridian, Idaho, concluded its Pathways to Potential giving campaign, which benefitted the Boys & Girls Club of America. Shoppers made donations $1, $5 or $10 donations at the point of purchase. Jacksons matched the total donation dollar-for-dollar.
Co-branded Pathwater bottles are also available year-round with 25 cents of each purchase donated to each store’s neighborhood Club. 176,000 water bottles have been sold over the last two years.
“We continue to support Boys & Girls Clubs because their impact reaches far beyond our local youth,” said Cory Jackson, president of Jacksons Food Stores. “In addition to supporting kids through their dynamic programming like college prep and workforce development, they provide more accessible and affordable childcare for working families.”
Weigel’s Stores Inc.
Powell, Tennessee-based Weigel’s celebrated the 25th year of its Weigel’s Family Christmas event in partnership with the Salvation Army. The event helps 250 underprivileged five- to eight-year-old children from East Tennessee by giving each of them $200 Target gift cards.
Each year Weigel’s organizes and funds the event, while the Salvation Army assists in selecting deserving children. Since the program’s beginnings in 1998, more than 4,600 children have received Christmas gifts through the charity.
Huck's Convenience Store
Huck's, Carmi, Illinois, raised $259,050through its Karing for Kids program, which has gifted toys to children each holiday season for 19 years.
Karing for Kids also provides funds for families with children undergoing medical treatments, disaster relief, scholarships and other programs such as local charities, Special Olympics and St. Jude.
Maverik Inc.
Maverik, Salt Lake City, Utah, raised $421,397 for Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization. Customers rounded up their change to strengthen Maverik’s direct donation of $50,000, totaling the donation to $471,397 this year.
Ninety percent of the Round Up donations that were raised will stay local, with each region’s collections going to food banks that serve people in that same region. Maverik’s donation will be distributed to Feeding America member food banks across 12 western states where Maverik operates. The remaining donation will support national strategies to help Feeding America address hunger in America.
Maverik also offered a free energy drink to Uber, Lyft and taxicab drivers from midnight to 5 a.m. on Jan. 1. Drivers were offered Mtn Dew Energy, 16-ounce Rockstar or 12-ounce Celsius.
“Maverik takes care of all sorts of road travelers, and this New Year’s, we want to offer a token of our appreciation to the many rideshare and taxi drivers working endless hours every night getting thousands of people home safely, especially after celebrating the holidays,” said Joey Hobson, vice president of marketing at Maverik.
Global Partners LP
Global Partners, Waltham, Massachusetts, donated $2 million to provide heating oil to an estimated 4,000 Northeast households this winter. The donation was directed to seven states and distributed to local nonprofit entities serving low-income households.
“This year, we are facing the highest energy prices we have perhaps ever faced, including prices for home heating oil,” said Joe Diamond, executive director of Massachusetts Association for Community Action. “This is a crisis that can only be met through a joint effort, a collaboration of government, nonprofits and the private sector.”
In the winter of 2020-2021, nearly 5.3 million U.S. households relied on heating oil, and 82% of those were in the Northeast. Supply is tight due to international conditions, including, but not limited to, the war in Ukraine. This has made the region more reliant on overseas imports, some of which come from Europe and have shrunk due to a decrease in Russian gas supply and increase in European heating oil demand, according to Global Partners.
Citgo Petroleum Corp.
CITGO, Houston, raised more than $2.3 million this year for families living with muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and related neuromuscular diseases. Funds raised will be used to help accelerate research, advance care and advocate for the neuromuscular community.
CITGO employees, marketers, retailers, vendors and contractors held several fundraisers throughout the year. Golf events in Lake Charles, Louisiana., Lemont, Illinois and Corpus Christi, Texas, raised more than $400,000 each, while a Houston golf event raised more than $880,000 and a bowling event in Lemont raised more than $110,000.
McLane Co. Inc.
McLane, Temple, Texas, a supply chain services company that provides grocery and foodservice solutions, surpassed a total of $100 million in donations to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) since 1987.
A large part of McLane's support for CMN Hospitals comes from fundraising at more than 75 distribution centers across the country. The company has also fundraised through the following efforts:
- McLane Phoenix supported the 21st Annual Duel in the Desert Golf Tournament, raising more than $30,000.
- Since 1997, McLane Suneast's annual golf tournament, employee giving and other initiatives raised more than $2 million for CMN Hospitals in Central Florida.
- McLane Northeast and McLane Southwest have each raised more than $1 million for local member hospitals of CMN Hospitals in their respective communities.
- Through a Program Director of the Year Award, McLane donates $10,000 to the winner’s local member children's hospital.
- The McLane supplier community has joined in fundraising efforts and company-wide events like fishing and clay shoot tournaments as well as the McLane Charity Golf Classic, which raised $800,000 this year while helping to foster partnerships for CMN Hospitals.
Kellogg Co.
Kellogg, Battle Creek, Michigan, donated 30 million servings of food to Feeding America food banks across the United States. The donation included cereal, snacks such as bars and crackers and Eggo products.
“While the holidays can be a joyful time for many, it can be especially difficult for people who struggle with food insecurity,” said Steve Cahillane, chairman and CEO of Kellogg. “This donation is part of our Better Days Promise to advance sustainable and equitable access to food. We are committed to feeding 375 million people facing food insecurity and crisis by the end of 2030.”