Supportive Partnership

Tyson Foods, NACS donate truckload of protein.

Supportive Partnership

November 2019   minute read

NACS joined Tyson Foods ahead of the 2019 NACS Show to support the greater Atlanta community by donating 4,774 cases (38,526 pounds) of assorted Jimmy Dean® and Hillshire Farm® products to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. 

For the past five years, Tyson Foods and NACS have teamed up to support the community that’s “home” to the NACS Show.

“Partnering with organizations like the Atlanta Community Food Bank and NACS is important to us in raising awareness about food insecurity in communities all around the United States,” said Nancy Todys, senior manager, convenience channel development, for Tyson Foods. “In the greater Atlanta community, programs supported through the Food Bank serve more than 80,000 people each week, and we’re honored to be a part of those efforts.”

Hunger affects every community in the United States. Each year, an estimated 755,400 (or 1 in 7) people in metro Atlanta and north Georgia turn to Atlanta Community Food Bank partner agencies for food. Clients visit agencies an average of eight times a year. In the Food Bank's 29-county service area, 14.6% of people are food insecure, and 21.1% of children are food insecure.

“There are more than 153,000 convenience stores serving communities across the United States, and cumulatively NACS retail members contribute over $1 billion a year to charity,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “Our industry also has exceptional supplier members like Tyson that are also actively giving back to the community, and we’re proud to partner with Tyson to support the Atlanta Community Food Bank.” 

From thousands of food bank donations over the years, grants to community organizations and hunger-related volunteerism, Tyson Foods focuses on hunger relief efforts. In 2015, Tyson Foods announced its renewed commitment to hunger relief by pledging $50 million in cash and in-kind donations by 2020 in the fight against hunger, with a special focus on innovative initiatives at the local level.;

NACS works with organizations like No Kid Hungry and Feeding America to support convenience retailers in their efforts to reduce food waste and provide hunger relief. Learn more about NACS community efforts at www.convenience.org/communitytoolkit.

Keeping Stores Litter-Free

In collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, NACS worked hard to reduce its environmental impact at the NACS Show by using sustainably managed and renewable resources and operating more efficiently. The organization participated in initiatives that reduced the NACS Show’s carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, food loss and waste, and increased the waste diversion rate by expanding recycling efforts.

Here’s how NACS worked to improve its environmental performance at the NACS Show last month.

Georgia World Congress Center

  • Largest LEED Gold certified convention center in the world
  • Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations able to charge up to 26 cars at once
  • Three beehives housing about 180,000 honeybees
  • 4,000 solar panels producing 1.6 MWof energy
  • $28 million invested in energy-efficient lighting and utilities
  • Recycling containers throughout facility
  • Recycle Across America bin labels on trash and recycling containers in meeting rooms and common areas

Event and Expo Operations

  • Responsible recycling of all equipment and materials through certified waste handlers
  • Donation of older equipment to support local and community charities
  • Reusable and recyclable rental exhibits
  • Three-year program to reduce the use of foam-based graphic substrates
  • Testing of soy-based carpet padding made from renewable sources
  • Recycling all used carpet

Shuttle Bus Operations

  • Recipient organization of Green Ride Global’s (GRG) Green Preferred Supplier List (GPSL)
  • Donate to a variety of carbon-offset programs
  • Shuttle bus fleet includes buses using ultra-low sulfur diesel and biofuel, vertical exhaust systems and unique tires and transmissions that reduce emissions and increase fuel conservation

Several official NACS Show hotel partners set their own sustainability goals, such as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG Brands, Marriott/Starwood and Omni.

At registration, NACS eliminated paper activity and reception tickets and provided attendee name badge recycling available at the convention center exit doors.

In addition, the Georgia World Congress Center partners with Goodr to capture excess food and beverages, which are donated to local non-profits and organizations. Also, exhibitors may donate excess food and beverage products to local food rescue and housing non-profit organizations. In 2016, the last time the NACS Show was in Atlanta, 114,412 pounds of leftover product from exhibitors was donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank when the NACS Show concluded.

 

IN THE COMMUNITY


Florida-based Tom Thumb Food Stores collaborated with Coral Restoration Foundation (www.coralrestoration.org) to help raise funds to support the reintroduction of critically endangered corals to the disappearing reefs of the Florida coast. This past June, designated as “Raise the Reef” month, Tom Thumb and CRF raised awareness and collected a total of $6,423 from customer donations to support the return of coral to Florida waters.


Ariel Lackey has been awarded the Big Red Stores/Family Market Scholarship by UA-Little Rock Alumni Association for fall 2019–spring 2020. While earning her degree, Lackey worked with Big Red Stores in Beebe, Arkansas. She is currently working toward her master’s degree to become a mental health counselor. “Big Red helped me with a job, my goals with college and my future. I am so thankful that I can call everyone at Big Red family,” said Lackey.

Stripes Stores kicked off its annual “Stripes Stores Celebrates Tomorrows” fundraising campaign in September in more than 500 stores. Benefiting the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the campaign commemorates Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month and supports patient programs, research and education efforts for children with cancer. Since 2014, Stripes stores have raised more than $4.8 million for the cancer center. Funds this year will continue to support week-long summer camps that enable kids to be kids despite their cancer diagnosis. Additionally, funds will be used to support MD Anderson's Pediatric Education and Creative Arts Program and a new research project that will allow for the development of novel cellular and immunotherapy approaches for pediatric cancer, including sarcomas and brain tumors.


In honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 8–14, Pilot Flying J recognized the significant impact more than 3.5 million American professional drivers have on the economy with the launch of its new “Thank a Driver” initiative. “Professional drivers deliver the goods that keep our shelves stocked and our country moving,” said Ken Parent, president of Pilot Flying J.


All 124 of Enmarket’s convenience stores across Georgia and the Carolinas joined the fight against blood cancers in August, marking the seventh consecutive year the stores have helped raise money during the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night campaign. To date, Enmarket’s participation in the organization’s major fundraiser has raised more than $500,000.