Hunger affects every community in the United States. To help convenience retailers and their employees assist families and individuals in need, NACS works with two groups that support local efforts to donate food and beverages to local food banks and pantries or provide financial support.
Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign (www.nokidhungry.org) seeks to ensure that all children receive the healthy food they need by working within schools and childcare organizations to create behavioral changes and provide meals. Listen to Convenience Matters (www.conveniencematters.com) Episode #112, “Convenience Stores Can Help Solve Childhood Hunger,” to find out how to get involved, or contact NACS Director of Strategic Initiatives Carolyn Schnare at [email protected] for an immediate connection to Share Our Strength.
Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org) is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization that works with food banks across the U.S. to collect food to be distributed by community agencies. Convenience retailers like Sheetz and Kum & Go work closely with their local Feeding America affiliates to combat hunger in the community.
Speedway Partners with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
The 28th annual Speedway Miracle Tournament raised more than $2.8 million in donations to Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals. Speedway LLC (Speedway) held the annual fundraising event at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio, in June. The Speedway Miracle Tournament set another donation record this year thanks to the generous support of Speedway’s business partners and remains the centerpiece of Speedway’s annual CMN Hospitals fundraising efforts.
Speedway set another donation record with its partnership with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
“We are so grateful to our remarkable partner, Speedway, for their ongoing commitment to CMN Hospitals and the miracle families they recognize each year at this tournament,” said John Lauck, president and CEO of the organization. “Each year the Speedway Miracle Tournament grows bigger and better thanks to Speedway and their vendor partners who go above and beyond to make the kids and families feel so special. This event raises funds to help children’s hospitals care for sick and injured kids in communities where their stores are located.”
A total of 43 Speedway Miracle Children and their families, representing 40 CMN Hospitals across the country, attended the event. Almost 800 participating golfers had the opportunity to meet and interact with them while out on the golf course and hear their stories. The event also included a celebration dinner with a medal ceremony for the kids.
“Thanks to the generous support from Speedway’s business partners, the Speedway Miracle Tournament continues to be a critical piece of our fundraising efforts, with record-setting fundraising amounts each year,” said Glenn Plumby, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Speedway. “Just in the last seven years, this tournament has raised almost $15 million to support local children’s hospitals. These funds are used for critical lifesaving equipment and much needed resources at the hospitals to help treat sick and injured kids. The 43 Miracle Children who attended this year’s event are a testimony to the value of our long-term relationship with CMN Hospitals.”
Since 1991, Speedway has raised more than $109 million for CMN Hospitals, primarily through year-round fundraising in the stores and other initiatives, such as an employee payroll deduction program.
Sheetz Raises Money for Needy Kids
Sheetz For the Kidz, an employee-driven corporate charity, raised $634,069 in July for children in need during its annual month of in-store fundraising.
The charity partnered with the Salvation Army to provide children with gifts of new toys, clothes and other needs. Funds raised also sponsored wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses through a partnership with Make-A-Wish.
Sheetz For the Kidz supports more than 9,500 kids in the communities that Sheetz operates every year by giving them hope and joy over the holidays.
In May, the foundation announced a $601,000 donation to local Feeding America member food banks to provide hunger relief to children struggling with hunger throughout the states in which Sheetz operates: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland.
Enmarket Educates Community About CBD Oil
As part of its community Encourage Health Education Series, Savannah, Georgia-based convenience retailer Enmarket hosted a presentation on the facts and myths of CBD oil on August 27.
During the free lecture, local chiropractor Michael Vaughn gave an overview of cannabis and a brief overview of the human endocannabinoid system before moving on to examples of what are believed to be CBD benefits: relief of sleep problems, anxiety, musculoskeletal pain, brain injury and epilepsy. He also touched on case studies that cover topics like tumor shrinkage, as well as CBD’s legal status and its safety and benefits.
“This is a fascinating subject that holds the potential to be of great benefit to many people, but the jury is still out on many aspects of CBD oil,” Vaughn said. “I believe many people can find relief through CBD products, but I realize it is poorly understood by the public and that many in the medical field are skeptical.”
The Enmarket Encourage Health Educational Series focuses on diverse health topics. Previous topics this year included meditation for stress relief and food insecurity issues in Savannah. An October presentation will cover the value of strength training at any age. The popular series is presented in a lunch-and-learn format, with each session offering the community the opportunity to hear local experts discuss health-related topics in a non-commercial atmosphere.
This marks the sixth year for the series in partnership with Healthy Savannah, the Charles H. Morris Center at Trustees’ Garden, Cha Bella, David’s Dry Cleaners, the City of Savannah, Clover Health, Sandfly Family Dental, Savannah Morning News, Savannah Magazine, St. Joseph’s/Candler and WRHQ.
Cumberland Farms Supports Pediatric Care Programs
During August, Cumberland Farms held its eighth annual Cups for Kids campaign, a fundraiser that benefits pediatric care programs at five regional hospitals across the Northeast. Throughout the month, the company donated five cents from every iced coffee or Chill Zone beverage purchased (the beverage varies by hospital) directly to pediatric care programs at partnering children’s hospitals.
“It’s incredible to think that this is our eighth annual Cups for Kids fundraiser,” said Gwen Forman, senior vice president of marketing at Cumberland Farms. “Supporting the communities we serve has always been something we believe in, and this campaign is a key part of our commitment. Since the beginning of the program we’ve donated a total of over $800,000 to our hospital partners, and we’re looking forward to adding to that number this year. We encourage everyone to stop by their local Cumberland Farms this month to participate.”
Heineken Helps Plants Trees
Heineken recently partnered with California-based nonprofit One Tree Planted and the Outside Lands Music Festival as part of the company’s sustainability commitment to “Brewing a Better World.”
“In the past few years, California has experienced an unprecedented amount of environmental devastation from long droughts to deadly forest fires and heavy flooding,” said Quinn Kilbury, head of partnerships and consumer experience at Heineken USA. “With Outside Lands playing such a huge role in the Bay Area’s green movement, Heineken is partnering with the organizations to help regrow California’s forests one tree at a time. Small acts make a big difference and Heineken wants to help.”
The July-August retail promotion prompted shoppers to text GREEN to 88500 to receive a link to the Heineken One Tree Planted campaign webpage. Consumers had the option to donate to the Northern California project and track how many trees have been planted via the Heineken One Tree Planted initiative. Heineken also matched donations up to $25,000.