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:
Atlas Oil
Atlas Oil continues to support the Superstorm Sandy relief efforts on the East Coast, and the Atlas team has deployed a total of 60 fuel trucks and more than 70 drivers and other support personnel to its base camp and logistics nerve center in New Jersey. In addition, it is providing dispatch services for other FEMA contractors at Fort Dix, N.J. Trucks and fuel are being dispatched to the hardest hit areas of the storm, including New York (Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx boroughs) and New Jersey.
Jiffy Mart
Jiffy Mart spent the month of October partnering with the American Breast Cancer Foundation; all four Jiffy Mart locations in Maryland participated in raising money in the fight against breast cancer. As part of its program, Jiffy Mart stores sold pink pins, pink wrist bands and pink car magnets with 100 percent of proceeds benefitting the ABCF. Also during the month of October, for each 16-ounce cup of coffee sold, Jiffy Mart donated 5 cents per cup to the ABCF.
Manley's Mighty Marts
Manley's Mighty Marts and The Humane Society have partnered to provide The Humane Society BOGO Book, now available at all Manley's Mighty Marts. The BOGO Book is a collection of 'Buy One, Get One Free' coupons to over 40 locally owned restaurants. The BOGO Book has over $1,500 in savings and coupons are valid now through the end of 2013. The book costs $20, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to The Humane Society.
Kwik Shop
For the third year, Kwik Shop is supporting the Heartland Family Service, and recently donated $20,156.76 to help children and families through Heartland's programs. During the entire month of August, employees encouraged customers to "Make a difference With a Dollar" with their purchases. They also promoted the agency's Ways to Work Program through store displays.
Activities for the fundraiser included a carnival with a dunk tank and 2 car washes. Employees raised additional funds by throwing pies at their top managers.
Thorntons
As part of its ongoing community giving program, Thorntons Inc. employees participated in the company's annual volunteer Humanitarian Day in early November. This year's focus was two‐fold: downtown Louisville's Portland neighborhood and the tornado victims of Henryville, Indiana.
In conjunction with Projects With Purpose LLC, volunteers renovated Catholic Charities of Louisville's headquarters' storage facilities. Simultaneously that day, volunteers fully framed eight houses and ten sheds to be shipped to Henryville victims still in need nine months after the tragedy that completely or partially destroyed almost 200 homes.
Additionally, Thorntons volunteers will prepare 150 Thanksgiving baskets for families this year.
BP
In support of Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, BP has donated a large stockpile of humanitarian assistance supplies from past hurricane recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast to the Salvation Army of New York and New Jersey.
Thirteen 18-wheeler trucks containing $800,000 worth of supplies arrived at a Salvation Army warehouse in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area with 300 pallets of supplies containing nearly 150 generators, non-perishable food, water, flashlights, hygiene and sanitation products, first aid kits, gas cans and other useful materials.
This assistance follows last week's donation of $500,000 from the BP Foundation to the American Red Cross in support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
Cumberland Farms
The Rollinsford Grade School in New Hampshire will receive a helping hand thanks to a month-long fundraiser from Cumberland Farms. For four weeks starting on Oct. 29, Cumberland Farms is donating 20 cents from every Chill Zone beverage, brewed tea and coffee (iced or hot) purchased at its newly remodeled store on Portland Ave in Rollinsford, N.H., to benefit student activities and programs at the school. Cumberland Farms aims to raise at least $1,000 for the students.
Kangaroo Express
The Pantry Inc. will invite customers in 72 Kangaroo Express convenience stores throughout the Chattanooga, Tenn., North Georgia and Cleveland areas to donate to its first annual "Kash for Kids" campaign in support of Junior Achievement. The non-profit organization brings the real world to students through a hands-on curriculum delivered by a trained classroom volunteer.
Parker's
Parker's recently presented a check for $2,000 to Bryan County Public Schools and a check for $6,000 to Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, both in Georgia, as part of the company's "Fueling the Community" program. The donations are part of a larger $20,000 charitable contribution to area schools in Georgia and South Carolina.
Parker's donates one cent of every gallon of gas purchased at all of its convenience stores on the first Wednesday of the month to community schools through the program. The company's charitable initiative officially launched in the fall of 2011 and has donated money to public and private schools in every community where Parker's does business.