As part of Casey’s partnership with Feeding America, the retailer set a goal to donate 10 million meals to school-age children and their families experiencing food insecurity within Casey’s communities during the month of September, which was Hunger Action Month. To help achieve this goal, Casey’s engaged Coca-Cola in the effort, including special offers on Coca-Cola at Casey’s stores.
To help address this expanding need, Casey’s and Coca-Cola asked customers to join the fight against hunger by purchasing a Coca-Cola four-pack for $5 at Casey’s, with $1 going directly to Feeding America (up to $50,000). This gained the attention of Tanner Krause, CEO of neighboring Kum & Go, who tweeted to his followers: “If you’re going to buy four 20oz Coke products in one transaction this month, please do so @caseysgenstore.”
The global pandemic has made the need greater than ever as 40% of Americans who are receiving food support today have never needed Feeding America’s help before. Children are particularly impacted, with as many as 18 million food-insecure children expected this year, according to estimates by Feeding America.
For assistance connecting with a representative of Feeding America in your operating area, reach out to Carolyn Schnare, NACS director of strategic initiatives, at [email protected].
IN THE COMMUNITY
Pictured L to R: Crissy and Bill Haslam; Ann and Steve Bailey; Dee and Jimmy Haslam; and Natalie and Jim Haslam.
On October 6, Pilot Company launched a donation campaign with the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF), a professional driver charity that helps over-the-road and regional semi-truck drivers and their families when an illness or injury causes them to be out of work. While supplies lasted, all U.S. owned and operated Pilot Flying J Travel Centers and participating One9 Fuel Network stores sold ribbons for $1 each in support of the organization.
Pilot Company and the Haslam family have donated $5 million to East Tennessee Children's Hospital to renovate the Emergency Department at the hospital’s main campus on Clinch Avenue in downtown Knoxville. The facility will be named Pilot Emergency Care Center, in honor of past, present and future Pilot Company team members and their families.
“East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is a beacon of hope in our community. The new Emergency Department will enhance the offerings and efficiency of the world-class children’s hospital in the heart of Knoxville, as well as provide improved comfort and amenities to families seeking treatment,” said the Haslam family.
Pictured L to R: Dr. Ann Levett, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System superintendent of schools, and Parker’s Chief of Staff Kate Smith.
Parker’s recently donated $30,000 to Beaufort County Schools in South Carolina and $27,000 to the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia as part of the company’s Fueling the Community program, which donates one cent of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to local schools.
“At Parker’s, giving back is truly part of our DNA, and we believe there is no better way to give back than to support education,” said Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker. “We’re incredibly proud to be headquartered right here in Savannah and are deeply honored to support our city’s future leaders with this donation.”
Launched in 2011 with a mission to give back to every community where Parker’s does business, the Parker’s Fueling the Community charitable initiative distributes more than $200,000 annually to public and private schools in Georgia and South Carolina. To date, Parker’s has donated more than $1 million to area schools through the program.
The Wills Group, with nearly 300 retail locations including Dash In, Splash In ECO Car Wash, and SMO Motor Fuels across the Mid-Atlantic region, raised more than $153,000 in support of the Blackie Wills Community Leadership Fund at its fourth annual Blackie Wills Golf Classic event. Since March 2020, the Wills Group, based in La Plata, Maryland, has donated $500,000 through the Blackie Wills Community Leadership Fund to support regional food banks and nonprofit organizations as they address increased hunger and food insecurity as a result of COVID-19.
“Our communities need us now, more than ever. COVID-19 has shone a bright light on the disparities in our communities and the increased needs of our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Lock Wills, chairman, CEO and president of the Wills Group. “These contributions will enable the Wills Group to continue our efforts to end childhood hunger.”
Kwik Chek raised $2,631 for Texas CASA and several local CASA programs through the Round Up for CASA program, which raises funds at the register from guests who round their purchase up to the nearest dollar.
Kwik Chek, based in Spicewood, Texas, has supported Texas CASA programs in communities in which it does business for 12 years, donating more than $622,000 to the organization since 2008. Texas CASA works to improve the child protection system through legislation and other positive public policy changes, while speaking up for children in the system and pairing volunteer advocates with every child in state care due to abuse and neglect.
MAPCO, based in Franklin, Tennessee, committed to raising $100,000 in September to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital via an in-store face mask sale donation campaign. The mask donation campaign provided guests with the unique opportunity to protect themselves from COVID-19, while also helping support the St. Jude mission. MAPCO donated 25% from every face mask purchase at MAPCO locations across its seven-state footprint to St. Jude.
“Being active members of the community is part of our mission, so making high-quality masks available at a convenient price and helping St. Jude during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a perfect match for MAPCO,” said Frederic Chaveyriat, CEO of MAPCO.
Minnoco, the fuel brand for members of the Minnesota Service Station & Convenience Store Association, is supporting Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, a Minnesota non-profit that serves people fighting breast cancer by paying for utilities, groceries, rides to medical treatment and other needs. For every gallon of fuel sold on the Minnoco Rewards program from October 1 through November 8, independent Minnoco retailers are donating $.02 per gallon to Hope Chest.