Community Service Spotlight: EG America, Enmark Stations Inc. & Parker's Kitchen

EG America

EG America once again supported the American Red Cross during Red Cross Month by hosting a nationwide in-store fundraiser throughout March.  

Guests who visited 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 had the opportunity to donate at checkout to the American Red Cross, which, according to the organization, helps nearly 1,000 people every hour of every day.

"We are happy to support the American Red Cross by raising funds essential for their mission of helping those in times of need," said John Carey, president and CEO of EG America. "During Red Cross month, we'll encourage all our guests to consider making a donation to support this vital organization."

Donations from the fundraiser will be used to continue the mission of the Red Cross to provide blood donations, assist during natural disasters like wildfires and floods and provide CPR training classes.

Enmark Stations Inc.

The Enmarket Charity Classic golf tournament returned to Savannah, Ga., on April 4, raising $270,000 for charity and driving the total raised over the convenience retailer's five-year sponsorship of the event past the $1 million mark.

A total of 271 golfers and 115 companies participated in the 2024 Classic. Sponsorship of the charity tournament was part of Enmarket's greater backing of the Club Car Championship, an annual pro golfing tournament at The Landings Club that ran from April 1-7. 

As in past years, the tournament's proceeds will be split evenly between The 200 Club of the Coastal Empire, which assists the spouses and children of the area first responders killed in the line of duty, and Make-A-Wish Georgia, which grants the wishes of seriously ill children.

According to the company, charity golf tournaments serve as a large part of the fundraising landscape in the United States. They currently account for $4 billion annually in benefits to nonprofits, according to Nonprofit Tech for Good.

Parker's Kitchen

As part of its ongoing work to support local communities through its Community Fund program, Parker's Kitchen recently partnered with two nonprofits to support their work.

The company presented special gift bags to residents of the Parker's House for Women, the only emergency housing program along the I-95 corridor from Florida to South Carolina dedicated solely to unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness. The gift bags contained sunscreen, hairbrushes, notebooks and other personal care items. 

The c-store retailer also presented a check for $193,000 to Union Mission as part of its recent round-up campaign to benefit Parker's House for Women. Parker's Kitchen matched 25% of all customer donations during the fundraiser to maximize the impact for local women in need.

Additionally, the retailer entered into a new partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) to support injured local veterans in Georgia and South Carolina. The project will support the WWP Warriors to Work program, which provides veterans and their family members with the resources they need to succeed in the civilian workforce, including career counseling, veteran job placement programs, resume writing assistance, interview preparation and military skills translation guidance.

[Read more: Parker's Kitchen Earns Top Workplace for 2024 Honor]

Parker's Kitchen will additionally donate the proceeds from a round-up campaign that will run through July 4. Customers can choose to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar to benefit WWP, which will be paired with a company match of 25% of each customer donation.

The Wounded Warrior Project served almost 13,000 veterans and family members, and advocated for more than 680,000 veterans in Georgia in fiscal year 2023, as well as serving almost 4,900 warriors and family members and advocating for 390,000 veterans in South Carolina over the same time period.

PepsiCo Inc.

Coming off its rookie year, PepsiCo's Starry soda brand is teaming up with rapper and basketball fan Lil Durk to help students unlock their on-the-court potential by bringing a different kind of basketball skills competition to HBCU campuses with Starry Fizz Fest.

Throughout March and April, students across each campus — Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Jackson State University and Morgan State University — had a shot at more than $333,000 in scholarships and prizes, including a chance to secure an name, image and likeness (NIL) deal traditionally reserved for student-athletes, giving scholars a first-of-its-kind opportunity to become one of the new faces of Starry. 

The winner will get an all-expenses paid trip to Kia NBA Tip-Off later this year. And like a true star with an NIL deal, their name, image and likeness will be featured on promotional materials for Starry Fizz Fest 2.0.  

For the stars off the court, Starry is also partnering with the PepsiCo Foundation to unlock $80,000 in scholarships across each of the four universities named above. The foundation will award $20,000 to one student at each university to go toward their education to help foster their long-term educational and professional growth. Eligible students can apply online.

Royal Farms 

Royal Farms made a $150,000 donation to the Johns Hopkins Children's Center as part of the company's Coin Canister program. 

[Read more: Royal Farms to Roll Out Gas Discount for ROFO Pay Members]

Since 1994, Royal Farms has collected more than $3 million in coins from spare change donated by customers and provided it to the center.

"Royal Farms is honored to support the incredible work being done at Johns Hopkins Children's Center," said Jeff Mengel, vice president of operations at Royal Farms. "As a company deeply rooted in the communities we serve, we are committed to making a positive impact and providing vital resources to organizations that enrich the lives of children and families. We are immensely grateful to our customers and staff whose contributions have made this donation possible."

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center provides pediatric oncology, cardiology, neurology and neonatology treatment. The donated funds will directly support critical programs and services, including medical care, research and support for young patients facing complex medical challenges. 

The United Family

The United Family and the Southern Division of Albertsons Cos. presented the Amarillo Area Foundation with a check for $300,000 following the conclusion of their donate-at-the-register campaigns for wildfire disaster relief.

In early March, the company launched the campaign to raise funds for disaster relief across the region following the devastating impact of three Texas panhandle wildfires: the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the Windy Deuce Fire and the Grape Vine Creek Fire. Combined, these fires burned more than a million acres. 

The Amarillo Area Foundation will utilize the donation as part of their Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund to help those directly impacted by the wildfires. 

"I want to thank the guests across the region for answering the call to help our neighbors in the Texas panhandle," said Sidney Hopper, president of The United Family. "There is nothing more powerful than neighbors helping each other. And, of course, I'd like to thank Wes Jackson and the team with the Southern Division for their partnership and commitment to the community; these funds are going to have a huge impact. Lastly, I would like to thank the Amarillo Area Foundation for their tireless work to help this region recover during tough times like these."