Community Service Spotlight

NATIONAL REPORT -- Giving back through community service efforts and charity donations is a positive force that keeps many retailers and suppliers of this industry moving ahead. On a regular basis, Convenience Store News will highlight these philanthropic efforts in this special section. Here are the latest company spotlights:

Casey's General Stores, Inc.
Casey's General Stores, Inc. raised more than $750,000 to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Throughout the month of August and concluding on Labor Day, Casey's customers were asked to donate $1 or $5 to help send a child to MDA Summer Camp.

The mammogram screenings are for women between the ages of 40-75 who have not been screened in the past year. For women who are medically insured, their insurance companies will be billed and a co-pay may apply for the low-cost screening, however, will not be collected at the time of the exam. For the uninsured, funding will be provided for no-cost screenings.

Wawa
Following a promotion at Wawa, Goldenberg's Peanut Chews made a donation of more than $5,000 to the USO (United Service Organizations. From May to June of this year. Just Born Inc., owners of Goldenberg's Peanut Chews donated five cents of each King Size bar sold at any Wawa to the USO, which provides morale-boosting services and programs to the nation's troops and their families.

In other Wawa news, the company continued its commitment to championing children's health causes in the Florida community, through its sponsorship of the Miracle Miles event for the second year in a row. The Sept. 22 race event in Orlando, Fla., supported the Alexander Center for Neonatology at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Wawa's $15,000 contribution will be used for capital campaign and medical equipment needs.

Since sponsoring the Miracle Miles event last year, the chain has opened five Wawa stores in Florida with a sixth store opening before year's end.

Miracle Miles included a 15k and a 5k race, in addition to a Kids' Fun Run and a Walk-for-Winnie.

RaceTrac
RaceTrac stores throughout the state of Georgia are hosting a program to help children and families who attend Camp Sunshine. From Sunday, Sept. 23 through Saturday, Sept. 29, all funds from coffee purchases will go to Camp Sunshine, which provides support programs for children fighting cancer and their families.

The RaceTrac program is in its third year; last year it raised more than $35,000 to allow cancer patients and families to attend Camp Sunshine.

7-Eleven
7-Eleven Inc. is making a big donation to an organization that will help the Dallas Police Department patrol some of the city's most crime-ridden neighborhoods. The Dallas-based chain will give hundreds of thousands of dollars to Safer Dallas Better Dallas, which will equip officers with equipment like three-wheel vehicles, bait cars, mobile license plate readers, and neighborhood security cameras. They will be put to use in the Five Points (Vickery Meadows) and Ross-Bennett neighborhoods.

Safer Dallas Better Dallas is trying to raise $3 million for Dallas police, and 7-Eleven's gift is the first donation toward its goal.

In addition, 7-Eleven will announce a $40 million investment in its own crime prevention program. The chain will soon install security cameras in each U.S. store, with the ability to view recorded video remotely.

In other 7-Eleven news, the company is kicking off a national awareness and fund-raising campaign to benefit Feeding America. Through the end of the year, customers at participating 7-Eleven stores can make donations of cash and spare change in specially marked canisters at the stores' sales counter. For Feeding America, $1 can provide eight meals at local food banks.

7-Eleven introduced its charitable collection-canister program in 1976. The company began placing canisters on its store counters as a public service, creating awareness of and raising funds for select charities. Over the last 36 years, the store canister campaigns have raised more than $100 million for a number of causes, including safety, education, health & wellness and disaster relief.

Chevron
Chevron USA Inc. expanded its Fuel Your School program to nine communities this fall from two communities in 2011. Fuel Your School will provide useful funding for eligible classroom projects developed by public school teachers and posted to DonorsChoose.org in the following communities:

• Alameda and Contra Costa counties, Calif.
• Orange County, Calif.
• Kern County, Calif.
• Sacramento County, Calif.
• St. Tammany, Orleans and Plaquemines parishes, La.
• Jackson County, Miss.
• Multnomah County, Ore.
• Harris County, Texas
• Salt Lake and Davis counties, Utah

Chevron will donate $1 for every eight gallon or larger fill up from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31 at participating Chevron and Texaco stations in those communities, up to a total contribution of nearly $5 million.