RaceTrac hosted its 11th annual Run for Research 5K race on September 14. As in past years, 100% of registration fees benefited The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s (MJFF) global research programs seeking better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s disease. A total of 2,031 registrants helped raise $573,150 from the race alone.
Combined with the $770,264 raised during April’s in-store fundraising and coffee sales, RaceTrac has helped bring over $1.3 million to The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
“We know that Parkinson’s affects nearly 30,000 people in Georgia, and its impact is devastating for those living with the disease and for their loved ones,” said Melanie Isbill, chief brand officer at RaceTrac and member of MJFF’s board of directors since March 2021. “This past year has been a very exciting time for the foundation, with the announcement of new tests, new therapies and new legislation bringing hope that a cure is truly within reach.”
RaceTrac’s Run for Research is part of the company’s wider RaceTrac Gives Back initiative, which supports several causes. Each year in April during Parkinson’s Awareness Month, RaceTrac guests can add $1 to their in-store purchases or select a $1 candy bar to support MJFF.
Donations to MJFF have enabled researchers to discover a biomarker breakthrough that detects pathology in spinal fluid not only of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s, but also in individuals who have not yet shown clinical symptoms of the disease. Each year, there are approximately 90,000 new Parkinson’s diagnoses added to a list of over one million Americans currently living with the disease, including RaceTrac executive chairman emeritus and current MJFF patient council member Carl Bolch Jr.
“Recent scientific leaps like the discovery of a biomarker and the bill passage of The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act have made this an extraordinary period for Parkinson’s research,” said Veronique Enos Kaefer, MJFF’s vice president of philanthropy. “The RaceTrac team has long been a critical partner through their dedication to the foundation’s mission, both through commitment to mobilize the community to take action and through generous spirit helping to speed high-impact research programs.”
In The Community
Every year, the convenience retail 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.
EG America Raises $645,000 for the American Cancer Society
Throughout the month of July, guests at EG America’s Certified Oil, Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop, Loaf ’N Jug, Minit Mart, Quik Stop, Sprint Food Stores, Tom Thumb and Turkey Hill stores could donate $1, $5 or an amount of their choosing to the American Cancer Society. EG America then matched the amounts raised by the top stores to increase the donation total.
Maverik Gives $25,000 to Local Veterans
In August, Maverik hosted a community event at a newly rebranded store in Colorado Springs, Colorado. During the event, Maverik presented a $25,000 donation to Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in recognition of its critical work supporting military, veterans, individuals and families in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas. Maverik’s donation will help Mt. Carmel fill its five food pantries in Colorado Springs and nearby rural areas.
Rutter’s Donates $50,000 to Veterans Organization
Rutter’s Children’s Charities donated $50,000 to the nonprofit Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania. The funds are dedicated to building a tiny home and providing individualized services for a veteran facing homelessness.
Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania built and is now operating Veterans Grove in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to assist those in need of housing after transitioning from military to civilian life.
TA Raises $300,000 for Truckers Relief
TravelCenters of America raised nearly $300,000 for St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) and TAT, formerly Truckers Against Trafficking, through two separate fundraisers this summer. The retailer’s annual charity golf event held in August “was TA’s most successful event ever,” raising nearly $200,000 that will be distributed evenly between the two nonprofits.
The company also held a round-up campaign in June and July at participating TA, Petro and TA Express locations, which raised $89,000. That money will be donated to SCF, which provides financial assistance to professional drivers out of work due to illness or injury.
Love’s Donates $378,000 To Local Schools
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Love’s Travel Stops donated $6,000 to schools or school districts in each of the 63 cities it operates in, for a combined total donation of $378,000 across five states. Local leaders and store team members in Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah, Colorado and Arizona selected the local school/district recipients.
Wawa Gives Out Free Drinks for School Staff
Wawa brought its “Cheers to Classrooms” initiative to the mid-Atlantic to celebrate going back to school, making the program available in all Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Washington D.C. stores from September 2-15. The annual initiative allows teachers and school staff to get a free hot coffee or fountain drink.