Community Service Roundup, January 2022
By Rachel Gignac on Feb. 07, 2022CHICAGO — This month’s community service roundup features the fundraising efforts of five convenience stores and two suppliers.
See how Stewart's, Mirabito and more c-stores gave back at the start of the year ...
Stewart's Shops
Stewart’s Shops, Ballston Spa, N.Y., promoted a free single scoop of Civility Ice Cream with the purchase of another single scoop Jan. 10 through 16.
The c-store’s goal was to relieve frustration and encourage kindness after a Washington Post report said Americans attribute their growing stress during the pandemic to incivility.
Mirabito
Mirabito Convenience Stores, Binghamton, N.Y., contributed a total of $84,500 to local charities during the last quarter of 2021.
Contributions included:
- $10,000 to the Foundation for Women’s Cancer
- $35,000 to the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group
- $35,000 to the Operation Homefront Foundation
- $4,500 to the Salvation Army of Binghamton
“Over the past few months, our Mirabito Convenience Store team has stepped up in a big way to help others and the response and generosity that Mirabito customers have shown is admirable, to say the least,” said Joe Mirabito, chairman and CEO of Maribito. “We choose to support these organizations because each of them makes a difference for local people, and we are thankful for their efforts. Now, more than ever, it is important to realize the positive impact we can make when everyone works together toward common goals.”
Wawa Inc.
Wawa, Wawa, Pa., and The Wawa Foundation are contributing $300,000 to athletes that are training for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place June 5 to 12 in Orlando, Fla. The c-store is donating $250,000 to hometown teams across its chain. Wawa is also contributing $50,000 in honor of the limited time Gold Metal Hot Chocolate beverage. The specialty beverage is meant to raise awareness of the athletes and is available at all chains through February 2022.
“As a longstanding partner of Special Olympics, it gives us great pride to support the hometown athletes headed to the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games as it serves as an extension of our purpose to fulfill lives in our community,” said Chris Gheysens, president and CEO of Wawa. “We know how much the games mean to local athletes and remain committed to cheering them on each step of the way!”
Wawa’s customers can contribute by:
- Making in-store coin donations through Feb. 20.
- Donating $1, $3 or $5 at point-of-sale through Feb. 13.
- Purchasing the limited-time Gold Metal Hot Chocolate through Feb. 28.
- Participating in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge.
- New Jersey: Jan. 15, 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood
- Philadelphia: Jan. 29, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
- Virginia: Feb. 4-5, Hilton Oceanfront Hotel, Virginia Beach
- Washington, D.C.: Feb. 5, Capitol Riverfront-Yards Park, Washington
- Delaware: Feb. 6, Rehoboth Beach
- Easton, Pa.: Feb. 19, Scott Park, Easton
- New Jersey: Feb. 26, Seaside Heights
- Maryland: March 26, Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis
Sheetz
Sheetz, Altoona, Pa., announced that its employee-driven charity supporting underprivileged children, Sheetz For the Kidz, raised $2.2 million in 2021. This is the largest amount that Sheetz For the Kidz has ever donated.
“The desire to make the holiday season brighter for children in our local communities continues to be a major focus for our employees and our amazing customers continued to step up in considerable ways to meet their needs,” said Brittany Funcheon, Sheetz For the Kidz executive director. “Our customers’ outpouring of support and donations allowed us the opportunity to help over 10,000 children and families in need in the communities we serve.”
Customers can contribute in July and December by adding to donation boxes and adding to purchases at the point-of-sale.
Throughout the year, customers can:
- Purchase a Sheetz For the Kidz water, with 25 cents from each bottle directly supporting the charity
- Shop on AmazonSmile and select "Sheetz For the Kidz" as the charity of your choice and Amazon will donate 0.5% of their purchases to the charity
- Donate loyalty points through the Sheetz app
- Donate online
Mtn Dew Outdoor Grants
Mtn Dew, a Purchase, N.Y. PepsiCo North America Beverages brand, donated $200,000 to 40 nonprofit organizations.
In 2020, 7.1 million more Americans enjoyed outdoor recreation than in 2019, with a record of 53% of Americans participating at least once, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. As a result of the simultaneous increase in outdoor activity and the decline in funding from the pandemic, Mtn Dew launched Outdoor Grants to support community organizations.
Organizations and consumers applied for a chance to receive a $5,000 grant in October 2021 by sharing how they or their favorite community organizations positively impact their local outdoor spaces.
Winners can be found here.
Karma Culture LLC
Karma Water, Rochester, N.Y., is partnering with youth mentoring organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) for the second year in a row.
“We are thrilled to be working with an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to promote kindness and good deeds,” said CJ Rapp, Karma CEO. “Over the past year, we have seen firsthand the impact of our partnership and we are now encouraging both Karma employees and community members to lend a helping hand when it comes to supporting those in need.”
This year, Karma Water plans to leverage Giving Tuesday, National Mentoring Day and Big Brothers Big Sisters Month to highlight BBBSA match stories, build brand engagement and cross-promote partnership-specific social content, the company said. Karma Water will also be at the 2022 BBBSA National Conference.
QuikTrip Corp.
QuikTrip Corp., Tulsa, Okla., participated in the 43rd annual Tulsa Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in January, with participation from 570 QuikTrippers and family members from the corporate office and Tulsa division. The parade went through the Greenwood District in downtown Tulsa. This year’s theme, hope and action: the fierce urgency of now, celebrated the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.