Cover Image:  Volunteers distribute fresh produce at the Northeast Oklahoma City Community Resource Center. 

Across its 16-state footprint, Casey’s is rallying its team members and its customers to help fight food insecurity. As part of the Ankeny, Iowa-based convenience retailer’s long-standing partnership with Feeding America, Casey’s set a goal of donating 17 million meals to children and families facing hunger across the heartland in 2022. A round-up campaign began in February in partnership with Monster Energy. 

“Hunger and food insecurity are increasingly prevalent challenges for many Americans, especially those living in rural areas where the pandemic has intensified food insecurity,” said Ena Williams, COO of Casey’s. “Through Casey’s partnership with Feeding America and the generosity of our guests, we can financially support the fundamental need for food in our local communities. These donations can make a lasting, positive impact on those most in need during this critical time.” 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, in the United States are food insecure. Feeding America’s network of 200 food banks across the country serves over 40 million Americans every year. Since their partnership launched in 2020, Casey’s and Feeding America have donated over 15 million meals alone because of their collaboration and Casey’s guests’ donations to combat hunger.

MAVERIK GIVES BACK

Maverik answered the call to fight hunger by contributing more than $580,000 to help neighbors in need in the communities it operates in across 11 Western states through a series of donations to Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger relief organization in the United States. Since launching its food waste program in April 2021, Salt Lake City-based Maverik donated 30,508 pounds of surplus food, helping to provide access to an additional 25,423 meals, the “Ad- venture’s First Stop” convenience retailer shared in its 2021 Community Impact Report. The food donation also keeps food out of landfills, which equals the removal of the CO2 from nine passenger vehicles from being driven for one year. 

The company also recognizes how the pandemic has caused significant educational learning and development disruptions for millions of students. In response, Maverik in 2021 amplified charitable giving to assist youth educational adventures by donating more than $950,000 to academic-based non-profits that help underserved students, including United Way of Salt Lake, Girls on the Run, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake and YMCA. 

Maverik and its parent company, FJ Management, also support continuing education in its home state of Utah, donating more than $600,000 in educational scholarships to assist students. 

As Adventure’s First Stop, Maverik wants to make sure people can experience the benefits of healthy outdoor recreation. In 2021, the company donated more than $45,000 to support the Utah Clean Air Partnership as it develops a pathway for individuals, businesses and communities to make small changes that improve the state’s air quality.

In The Community 

Every year, the convenience and fuel retailing industry dedicates billions of dollars to advancing the futures of individuals and families in our communities. The NACS Foundation unifies and builds on NACS members’ charitable efforts to amplify their work in communities across America and to share these powerful stories.
Learn more at www.conveniencecares.org.
 

NOMINATE A RISING STAR
The NACS Foundation’s Future Fund Scholarship recognizes rising convenience retail industry leaders within their companies. This year’s application deadline is June 6.
Each year, the NACS Foundation distributes up to 11 scholarships toward undergraduate career education at a community college or university. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to NACS retail member company employees. Selected scholarship applicants are awarded $3,000 each toward tuition, as well as a stipend to attend the 2022 NACS Show. Recipients will be recognized during a special evening ceremony at the Show and given the firsthand opportunity to learn more about the exciting career paths in the convenience industry.

Visit conveniencecares.org/ Future-Fund to download an application, or email Stephanie Sikorski at [email protected].

PILOT HAS HEART
Pilot Company kicked off its annual American Heart Month Campaign in February with new ways for customers to get involved at the more than 670 participating Pilot travel centers across North America.
This is the sixth year Pilot has teamed up with the American Heart Association for its Life is WhyTM campaign, which inspires customers of the Knoxville, Tennessee based company celebrate their reasons to live healthier, longer lives.

“Over the past five years, we’ve been able to raise more than $5 million to help support the life-saving work of the American Heart Association,” said Brian Ferguson, chief merchant of Pilot Company.
Pilot Company’s fundraising initiatives include:

• Paper Heart Icons: $1, $3 and $5 red hearts for purchase from February 22-28 to benefit Heart & Stroke.
• Pin-Pad Round Up or Donation: During February, guests could round up their purchase to the nearest whole dollar or elect to donate other amounts to the American Heart Association on the pin-pad during checkout at participating U.S. travel centers.
• eGift Cards: For every heart themed Pilot Flying J eGift card sold in February, the company donated 10% of the proceeds to the American Heart Association, up to $10,000.

Donate Online: A donation link on the Pilot Flying J campaign website throughout February provided another convenient way to donate to the American Heart Association.