NORTH COUNTY, Calif. -- Oil companies and convenience-store operators affected by the Southern California wildfires are providing help to officials and residents with money and supplies.
7-Eleven has 200 stores in the greater San Diego area, according to spokesperson Margaret Chabris, and these stores regularly get daily deliveries of fresh food and baked goods along with other time-sensitive products. When those deliveries couldn't be made Monday night to 14 of the stores, the trucks were re-routed to the Del Mar Fairgrounds to supply food and beverages [image-nocss] to volunteers and evacuees.
While two dozen franchisees and employees have been evacuated from their homes, they are on the job helping keep our stores stocked, opened and helping their neighbors and each other, providing shelter at their homes for colleagues, Chabris told CSP Daily News. So far, one 7-Eleven franchisee lost his home.
In partnership with Los Angeles-area suppliers, 7-Eleven as of Wednesday had provided to firefighters and evacuees:
25 cases of Arizona beverages.Along with Straub Distributing, three and a half pallets of Oxygizer water (50 cases per pallet).With Pepsi, 200 cases of Aquafina.400 donuts.200 sandwiches.Two pallets of Tim's chips (3,600 units).Along with Prestige Sales, three pallets of Function water, two pallets of Langers juices and one pallet of Red Bull.Hansens juices and waters.100 cases of Honest Tea.A total of 681 cases of mixed beverages in partnership with beverage distributor Haralambos.With 7-Up, four pallets of Deja Blue (48 cases per pallet) and two pallets of Fiji (52 cases per pallet).Twelve 7-Eleven stores in North County were closed or evacuated Monday. As of Tuesday night, all 7-Eleven gasoline stores had a supply of fuel. Chabris said stores are switching all counter collection canisters to raise funds for the American Red Cross for the fire relief.
7-Eleven team members, franchisees and vendors are really pulling together to help each other and the community during this crisis, Dan Soper, 7-Eleven market manager for the afflicted area, told CSP Daily News.Field consultants are in frequent contact with their stores and franchisees even while evacuating from their own homes. The concern and dedication from the entire team is simply amazing.
Meanwhile, the BP Foundation announced Wednesday a donation of $250,000 to help firefighters and evacuees. BP's western region retail brand ARCO and ampm will begin shipping water, soda, snacks and health and personal products to shelters and fire and police staging sites.
Also, San Ramon, Calif.-based Chevron Corp. committed $500,000 to support relief efforts in affected communities. The commitment includes a $400,000 contribution to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund that will support wildfire relief efforts across Southern California and a $100,000 contribution that will be directed towards local charities and relief efforts in the communities where Chevron operates. In addition to the $500,000 contribution, Chevron is providing immediate in-kind support to those communities that have been evacuated with the provision of 20,000 bottles of water and 11,500 meals.
And mass merchandise, drug and supermarket companiesincluding Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS and Ralphs/Food 4 Lessalso contributed food and funds. And to support those impacted by thefires, McDonald's restaurants in Southern California are offering a free Extra Value Meal to emergency workers.
The devastating wildfires have caused at least $1 billion in damage in San Diego County alone, according to a report from the Associated Press. Easing wind yesterday gave firefighters hope that they could begin to gain ground against the flames.
The fires, in their fourth day, had destroyed 1,500 homes and caused at least a half-million people to fleethe largest evacuation in California history.
The wildfires that have charred about 426,000 acres, or about 665 square miles, according to AP.
No gasoline price gouging had been detected in the area, according to a report in the North County Times. The price hasn't gone up, the spot market's soft, and if anything, prices should be going down, Charles Langley, a consumer advocate for the Utility Consumers Action Network, told the newspaper. We haven't received any reports of people taking advantage of a bad situation. To the contrary, people seem to be very helpful.
[Pictured: A firefighter works to stamp out the flames at a burning landscape nursery off Sierra Highway in Canyon Country, Calif. Photo courtesy of Andrew Meyers.]
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