Convenience Retailers Unite for 24/7 Day

The NACS Foundation kicks off 24/7 Day on July 24 and encourages convenience retailers and their supplier partners to join the celebration.

Now in its fourth year, 24/7 Day is the only day that celebrates the partnership between the convenience store industry and those on the front lines in our communities. The NACS Foundation Response Relief program’s signature event celebrates and recognizes the first responders, medical and emergency professionals and Red Cross volunteers who are there for their communities during times of need. The event unifies the collective efforts of tens of thousands of convenience stores that honor and thank those who work 24/7 with items like a hot cup of coffee, cold beverage or a breakfast sandwich.

The first 24/7 Day event in 2018 had three retail partners: Sheetz, Wawa and RaceTrac. Last year, participation increased by more than 1,000% with 30,000-plus convenience retail locations across the U.S. celebrating 24/7 Day, showcasing how the convenience retailing industry is stronger together.

“Most convenience stores are open 24/7, which is especially important during times of need, like wildfires, tornados, hurricanes or snowstorms. These are the times when communities not only rely on their local c-store for essentials but also the first responders and American Red Cross volunteers who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe,” said Stephanie Sikorski, NACS vice president of marketing and director of the NACS Foundation.

There is no cost for retailers and suppliers to join the 24/7 Day celebration at the entry level, and participation is flexible and structured around the needs and goals of each company.

To learn more about participating in this year’s 24/7 Day, contact Sikorski at [email protected] or (703) 518-4231, or visit www.247day.org.

In The Community

Every year, the convenience and fuel retailing 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, UNITED WAY SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL NONPROFITS

EG America in May kicked off an in-store fundraising campaign with United Way to support youth programs and educational resources in partnership with local non-profits, such as Boys and Girls Clubs and Attendance Works to provide safe after-school programming, literacy programs, career preparation and more.

This marks the third fundraiser between EG America, based in Westborough, Massachusetts, and United Way. Since the first fundraiser in 2020, EG America c-stores and their customers have raised over $170,000 to support education and health programs as part of United Way’s mission to advance the common good in communities around the world.

Participating EG America brands include Certified Oil, Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop, Loaf ‘N Jug, Minit Mart, Quik Stop, Sprint, Tom Thumb and Turkey Hill.

PARKER’S DONATES $56,000 TO BEAUFORT SCHOOLS

Savannah, Georgia-based Parker’s donated $56,000 to the Beaufort County School District in South Carolina as part of the company’s Fueling the Community program, which is a longstanding charitable initiative that donates a portion of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools in coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

A portion of the Parker’s donation goes to support the school district’s annual Support Person of the Year recognition program. Other funds go to specific schools designated by Parker’s Pump Pal members when they purchase fuel on the first Wednesday of each month.

Parker’s has given more than $1.8 million to area schools since the inception of the Fueling the Community program in 2011.

FIKES/CEFCO GIFTS $1 MILLION TO UMHB TEACHER CENTER

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) in Belton, Texas, is building a state-of-the-art special education training and instructional facility thanks in large part to a $1 million gift from Fikes/ CEFCO. UMHB’s Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation will serve as the premier center for special education training and instruction in the U.S.

The facility’s name honors the meaningful relationship between Evan Smith, a 2013 graduate of Belton High School and 2017 graduate of Texas A&M University, and Logan Marek, a 2017 Belton High School graduate with autism. Before Evan’s death in 2018, he had a passion for young people with disabilities, including serv- ing as a personal care provider for Logan.

MAVERIK AIMS TO REDUCE WILDFIRES

Salt Lake City-based Maverik and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in May launched a regional partnership to raise awareness about fire prevention to reduce human-caused wildfires.

Coinciding with Wildfire Awareness Month, nearly 400 Maverik stores across 12 Western states played educational fire safety awareness videos on Maverik’s fuel pumps and in-store TV screens plus social media channels. Customers who purchased a firewood bundle also received a set of campfire safety tips.

The goal of the “Spark Safety, Not Wildfires” campaign was to provide simple, effective tools for public-land users, which they’ll see as they stop to fuel up.

PILOT DONATES $100,000 TO MILITARY FAMILIES

Veteran-founded Pilot Company donated $100,000 to Hire Heroes USA, an organization dedicated to providing job search assistance to current members of the military, veterans and their spouses. With this $100,000 donation, Hire Heroes USA will be able to take 100 military members through the transition process and into great careers.

SOCIAL SHARES

NACS encourages retailers to share their giving-back news on social media using #ConvenienceCares.