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:

MAPCO Express, Inc.
MAPCO Express Inc., in partnership with the Coca-Cola Company, launched its Summer Splash campaign in support of the Chattanooga Zoo. 

From July 2 through Sept. 30, 95 MAPCO stores located within the Southeast are accepting donations on behalf of the Chattanooga Zoo. Similarly, the Coca-Cola Company will donate a portion of the proceeds from every 20-ounce Coca-Cola product sold at MAPCO to the Chattanooga Zoo during this time.  All monies raised will go directly to support the continued care of the Zoo's many animals and educational programs.

Cumberland Farms
A four-week fundraiser sponsored by Cumberland Farms this summer will benefit the YMCA of Greater Woonsocket  to support youth programming.

During the fundraiser, Cumberland Farms will donate 20 cents from every Chill Zone beverage, iced tea and coffee (iced or hot) purchased at its newly remodeled store at 261 S. Main Street in Woonsocket, Mass. to benefit the YMCA of Greater Woonsocket. Cumberland Farms aims to raise at least $1,000 for the organization's youth programs. 

Over the past year, Cumberland Farms says it has donated more than $100,000 to support local organizations across the Northeast.

VPS Convenience Store Group
All 425 locations under the VPS Convenience Store umbrella launched summer fundraising campaigns that go through Saturday, July 21 to support research and treatment at select pediatric cancer hospitals through a partnership with the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation.

For the past 10 years, Village Pantry Stores and JG Foundation have worked together to make a difference in the lives of pediatric cancer patients at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. Village Pantry, in conjunction with its vendor partners, has raised more than two million dollars to date for childhood cancer research and treatment.

This year, the campaign will extend to all VPS sites including Village Pantry Stores, Scotchman Stores, Li'l Cricket Stores, Young's Food Stores, Everyday Shops and Next Door Stores with locations throughout eight states. Each store will raise money to support a ranked children's cancer hospital in its state.

In other company news, VPS Convenience Store Group presented a $12,500 grant to the Tuomey Foundation through the BP Fueling Communities Program for the second year in a row. Young's Food Stores, in partnership with BP, has given a total of $25,000 to support community health initiatives in the Sumter and Shaw North Carolina communities.

Alon Brands
Alon Brands, the Dallas-based supplier and marketer of fuels and largest licensee of 7-Eleven in North America, is supporting the new Marine Recovery Fund (MRF), created to support service personnel seriously injured while in service in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.

One program supporting the MRF was developed by MillerCoors through a contribution of 50 cents for each case of Miller Lite 18-pack of cans/bottles or a nine-pack of aluminum pints sold at any participating retail outlets in West Texas and New Mexico through July 31. As the lead retail outlet in this campaign, 302 ALON and FINA/7-Eleven stores are supporting this initiative.

Rutter's Farm Stores
Rutter's Farm Stores celebrated the official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 57th convenience store on June 20th, and marked the occasion by donating $1,000 to four local charities in central Pennsylvania.

The Loganville Fire Co., the Goodwill Fire Co., Jacobus Lions Ambulance Club and the Jacobus, Loganville and Springfield (JLS) Recreation Association each received $1,000 from Rutter's to continue their community efforts.

Kangaroo Express
From the week before Independence Day through Labor Day, The Pantry's Kangaroo Express and Salute Our Troops' presenting sponsor PepsiCo are again inviting store guests to make donations to the campaign and empower communities to praise and thank the military.

Donations from the campaign will support the USO, lifting the spirits of America's troops and their families; Wounded Warrior Project, honoring and empowering injured servicemen and women, and six state-based military support organizations.

In its inaugural year, the 2011 Salute Our Troops campaign raised $2.5 million dollars, breaking fundraising records for many beneficiary organizations, according to Kangaroo Express.

The six state-based organizations benefiting cover five states throughout the Southeast and include the Enlisted Association of National Guard of Tennessee Auxiliary Soldier Airman Relief Fund Inc., Florida National Guard Foundation, Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation, North Carolina National Guard Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Fund, South Carolina Military Family Care Association, and the United States Veterans Corps based in North Carolina.

Salute Our Troops celebrations will be held at Kangaroo Express stores throughout the southeastern United States led by the Salute Our Troops Caravan. This year, retired Staff Sergeant Kelly Fromm will join the caravan with his “Rev-It-Up for Wounded Warriors" custom patriotic show cars.

Celebrations will also include the Salute Our Troops Command Center, where store guests will add their own voice of gratitude with “shout outs" of pride and appreciation.

Exxon Mobil Corporation
Exxon Mobil Corporation partnered with some of its employees in support of the University of Arkansas.

The Exxon Mobil Corporation Foundation's matching gift program provides three dollars in additional support for every one dollar contributed by Exxon Mobil Corporation and XTO Energy employees, with the U of A receiving $500,000 over the last decade.

Aloha Petroleum, Ltd.
Aloha Petroleum Ltd. continues to support the community with a $24,000 donation to the March of Dimes, Hawaii Chapter, which is dedicated to preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The contribution is the largest that Aloha Petroleum has made to the March of Dimes in its 12 years of support.

During March and April, Aloha Petroleum raised $24,057 for the March of Dimes by selling World's Finest Chocolate, collecting March for Babies pledges, and setting up collection canisters at all of its Aloha Island Marts and participating Shell convenience stores on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.