Community Service Roundup: Initiatives by 9 Retailers and More (December 2016)
By Kristina Hurtig on Dec. 02, 2016CHICAGO -- This community service roundup features results from charitable 5Ks, food distributions and more, as well as fundraising events underway for the holidays.
Click through to read about these efforts and more from nine convenience-store retailers and one industry association.
1. 7-Eleven
2. Aloha Petroleum
Honolulu-based Aloha Petroleum Ltd. donated $6,748.35 to the American Heart Association, Hawaii Division, to help the organization empower Hawaii residents to live healthier lives and educate the public on heart disease and stroke. The funds were raised through canister collections at participating Aloha Island Mart and Shell locations across the state.
3. Casey’s General Stores
Casey’s General Stores customers in its 14-state area raised a record $1,527,208 million during the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Summer Camp pinup program, which helps kids fighting muscular dystrophy and related life-threatening diseases experience a week of summer camp at no cost to their families.
4. CST Brands
San Antonio-based CST Brands, parent company of Corner Store, concluded its third annual Corner Store Country Run, raising $1.46 million for Big Brothers Big Sisters in the United States and Canada, as well as other children’s charities. Corner Store Country Run is a 10-city 5K race series.
5. OnCue
6. QuickChek
QuickChek, Whitehouse Station, N.J., is participating in the Check-Out Hunger campaign to help feed hungry families during the holiday season. The campaign will benefit more than 30 Feeding America food banks and affiliates from New England to Florida. Through Dec. 17, customers at each of QuickChek’s 147 stores can help by donating $1, $3 or $5 via coupons at store checkout counters.
7. Sheetz
For the past 24 years, Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz’s employee-run charity, Sheetz for the Kidz, has partnered with the Salvation Army to make the holiday season brighter for more than 100,000 underprivileged kids across the mid-Atlantic region. This year, each of Sheetz’s 535 stores will support 16 children from their local communities by partnering with the Salvation Army to receive wish lists from local families. Employees volunteer their time to shop, wrap and host holiday parties for the children and their families.
This year also marks the 12th year Sheetz for the Kidz is partnering with Make-a-Wish. Fifty-two families will enjoy an all-expense-paid vacation at Give Kids the World Village, a 70-acre, nonprofit storybook resort designed to provide special facilities for seriously ill children and their families while they take in the Disney vacation of their dreams.
8. Stewart’s Shops
Ballston Spa, N.Y.-based Stewart’s Shops’ annual holiday match program is underway. Through Christmas, customers can donate their spare change at Stewart's convenience stores, and the company will match that dollar for dollar. The money raised goes to local children's charities.
9. Weigel’s
Powell, Tenn.-based Weigel’s, which operates 64 convenience stores, a dairy and a bakery, is teaming with The Salvation Army to give 200 local children in need a Christmas shopping spree. The Salvation Army selects deserving children and Weigel’s organizes the event and provides funding. Since the program’s inception in 1998, it has affected more than 3,400 children.
10. AFPD
With the help from various groups and organizations, the Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers (AFPD) distributed nearly 6,000 turkeys and other food items to nonprofit groups throughout Michigan, Ohio and Illinois in time for Thanksgiving. Since 1980, the West Bloomfield, Mich.-based association has donated more than 80,000 turkeys.
Have a community-service announcement of your own to share? Send related news to Kristina Peters at kpeters@winsightmedia.com.