Community Service Roundup, April 2023
By Rachel Gignac on May 03, 2023Convenience-store community service in April included efforts from eight convenience stores and two suppliers.
Donations went toward Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and more.
Click through to read more about this month’s charity initiatives …
Kum & Go
Kum & Go held its 10th annual Donate Change to Make a Change campaign supporting Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve affordable housing. The Des Moines, Iowa-based chain encouraged customers to donate at checkout to raise funds on a local and national level.
Kum & Go’s Buy Water & Build Homes initiative also took place during April through which 10 cents from every 20-ounce K&G bottle of water purchased was donated to Habitat.
And, as one of three sponsors on Habitat for Humanity’s national Home is the Key campaign, Kum & Go donated time and support by partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Detroit on their Earth Day block party. This opportunity for Kum & Go comes as it is preparing to enter the Detroit market in 2024, according to the company.
Stewart’s Shops
Stewart’s Shops, Ballston Spa, New York, donated $100,000 to Saratoga County’s 4-H Lead the Legacy Campaign to raise funds for a new educational facility at the training center in Ballston Spa. The center is used by 4-H youth clubs and for community events and attracts more than 12,000 youth each year.
The new multi-functional facility will offer more space and open spring 2023. The expansion will include 3,780 square feet of additional classroom space, a dedicated space for STEM space to host robotics teams, additional restrooms and community event space.
EG America
EG America, Westborough, Massachusetts, raised $627,000 in its most recent fundraising campaign for the American Red Cross. Customers donated $1, $5 or an amount of their choosing at checkout with all proceeds supporting the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross.
“We’re honored to partner with organizations that are making a considerable impact on the communities we serve,” said Caroline Taitelbaum, president of EG America. “Reaching $4.1 million in charitable giving dollars since 2020 is a significant milestone for us as we strive to make meaningful contributions to the wonderful organizations with which we partner. This would not be possible without the generosity of our guests, who we cannot thank enough for supporting these causes alongside us.”
Wawa
Wawa, Wawa, Pennsylvania, donated $6.15 million to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to expand Wawa Volunteer Services program.
The gift will establish a Wawa Coffee and Care Cart; enable the purchase and upgrade of coffee makers, single serve brewing systems, pods and other accessories to provide a warm drink to employees, patient families and visitors; and funding for the reception area of a Family Resource Center in the new patient tower on CHOP’s Philadelphia campus, scheduled to open in 2028.
Also, in April, while celebrating its anniversary of opening its first store in 1964, Wawa revealed that since The Wawa Foundation’s launch in 2014, it has reached more than $136 million in support provided to more than 6,000 community partners focused on health, hunger and everyday heroes across the company’s footprint of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Florida and Washington, DC. In addition, more than 30 million meals have been donated by Wawa stores to local food pantries through the Wawa Share food donation program.
During the week of April 17, local Wawa stores featured signs with highlights of local non-profits that received funding in 2022, and Wawa celebrated its associate volunteers with a social media video campaign.
Casey's
Casey’s and PepsiCo paid tribute to fallen service members and military families during an outdoor event as part of the Rolling Remembrance relay, a more than 8,000-mile relay of an American flag that flew in combat during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012. The event raised awareness and funds for the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. Using normal business routes, PepsiCo's network of U.S. military veteran drivers passed off the flag at the event.
“At Casey’s, service is part of our core values, and it’s why recognizing the sacrifices and legacies of our nation’s veterans is so important to us,” said Darren Rebelez, president and CEO of Casey’s and a U.S. Army veteran. “We’re proud to show our gratitude to those who have served our country and their families through meaningful opportunities like the Rolling Remembrance relay and with strong partners like PepsiCo.”
Casey’s, Ankeny, Iowa, also provided $1 million in Cash for Classrooms grants to 79 local schools and education-focused nonprofits, ranging from $3,000 to $50,000 each. The Cash for Classrooms grant program supports a variety of projects, physical improvements and resource needs benefiting students and teachers in Casey’s communities across the Midwest.
Royal Farms
Royal Farms, Baltimore, donated a truckload of products, ranging from beverages, protein bars, snacks and toilet paper, to The Lower Currituck Food Pantry in Grandy, North Carolina, a new expansion location for the c-store chain.
The Lower Currituck Food Panty serves Currituck County residents who are in need of emergency food assistance.
Alltown Fresh
A new mural painted on the side of an Alltown Fresh supports Donate Life Connecticut, a nonprofit that advicates for organ donation. The mural also honors Jerrell Fletcher, who died after a car accident when he was 16 and donated organs to four people.
Donate Life Connecticut has partnered with RiseUp for Arts, a Connecticut public art nonprofit, and is still raising funds for this project which should be done in mid-May.
Global Partners, Waltham, Massachusetts, owns the Alltown Fresh c-store chain.
SpartanNash
SpartanNash, Grand Rapids, Michigan, unveiled its new Our Family 2023 Scholarship Program to support students who are making a positive difference in their communities. Developed in 1904, Our Family is SpartanNash's private-label brand. People who live in one of the states served by the company are eligible to apply for a financial award for undergraduate, graduate or vocational education.
Scholarships may be used toward higher education, including two- and four-year universities, trade schools or secondary education programs. Interested applicants can apply online for one of the $2,000 scholarships between May 1 and Aug. 31.
Keebler Cookies
Keebler Cookies, a Ferrero brand based in Parsippany, New Jersey, and Make-A-Wish partnered for the fourth year this April. To date, Keebler has donated $750,000 and is on track to donate $1 million this year with help from consumers who have purchased Keebler's specially marked Make-A-Wish Fudge Stripes, which feature a star-shaped center and the brand's stripes in Make-A-Wish's signature blue.
“Keebler is all about creating magical moments for families,” said Jess Bernard, associate brand manager for Keebler Fudge. “We appreciate our partnership with Make-A-Wish to help play a role in bringing this purpose to life. Knowing we're helping to put a smile on a child's face even during their hardest days is what keeps us going.”
Seagram’s Escapes
Seagram’s Escapes, a ready-to-drink beverage brand based in Rochester, New York, invested $50,000 to support beach and waterway cleanups in Florida, especially in areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.
The funds are being allocated through partnerships with four Keep Florida Beautiful affiliates: Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Keep Lee County Beautiful and Keep Charlotte Beautiful. The investment will engage more than 7,500 volunteers expected to conduct more than 1,000 projects throughout the year, including waterway clean ups, sustainable plantings and invasive species removal.