Community Service Spotlight: C-store Retailers & Suppliers Support Hurricane Ida Relief Efforts

NATIONAL REPORT — Coinciding with the 16 anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida made landfall on Aug. 29 near Port Fourchon, La., devastating the town of Grand Isle. Ida weakened steadily over land, becoming a tropical depression on Aug. 30, as it turned northeastward, triggering one of the worst urban flood disasters in U.S. history in the Northeast particularly damaging New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

In this special edition of Community Service Spotlight, Convenience Store News highlights the philanthropic efforts of convenience store retailers and suppliers in providing relief to those impacted:

Chevron Corp.

Chevron made a $3-million donation to support relief and recovery efforts for communities across Louisiana affected by Hurricane Ida.

The American Red Cross and Team Rubicon will receive $500,000 each to support disaster relief efforts throughout the impacted regions in parishes such as Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Charles, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Tammany.

Catholic Charities will also receive a $500,000 donation, while the $1.5 million, will be distributed across local organizations that work on disaster relief.

"As a major employer and longtime partner in several Gulf Coast communities, Chevron is fully committed to helping the region recover from the impacts of Hurricane Ida," said Brad Middleton, vice president of Chevron North America Exploration and Production Co.’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. "We understand that these resources are vital to support the response and recovery of our communities. There is significant recovery work to be done, and Chevron stands by our fellow Louisiana residents through this difficult time."

Chevron also is going to match donations to hurricane recovery efforts that have been made by current and retired employees plus provide financial contributions to any organizations where they volunteer, according to an official press release.

CITGO Petroleum Corp.

CITGO made a $50,000 donation to the United Way of Southwest Louisiana (UWSWLA). These funds will be directed to United Way of South Louisiana (UWSL), which serves the four parishes most impacted by Ida. The CITGO donation comes in response to the "$50K Ida Challenge" issued by UWSWLA and the city of Lake Charles.

"When hurricanes Laura and Delta hit Southwest Louisiana last year, United Way of South Louisiana provided a helping hand," said CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jordá. "And now we are proud to do our part, return the favor and meet the '$50K Ida Challenge' to assist the parishes impacted by storm."

Volunteering in the recovery is also part of the effort. TeamCITGO volunteered at UWSWLA's supply drive on Sept. 4 and 10 to help collect donations. TeamCITGO also traveled with UWSWLA to Houma, La., to help distribute supplies from the donation drive and provide approximately 3,000 hot meals to community members affected by the storm, many of whom still do not have power.

Owned by CITGO Holding Inc., CITGO Petroleum Corp. is headquartered in Houston. It operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 42 terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants.

Community Coffee Co.

Louisiana-based Community Coffee is supporting the Salvation Army's Hurricane Ida relief efforts by donating 10 percent of retail sales proceeds, up to $250,000, from the sale of Community coffee products from Sept. 13 to Oct. 28.

"Our state has a long road ahead, but we know our communities are strong and are already coming together to support each other," said Community Coffee Co. President and CEO David Belanger. "It's inspiring how Louisianans lock arms and take care of one another when disaster hits. We are proud to call Louisiana home."

In addition to giving back to the Salvation Army, Community Coffee Co. is supporting employees, customers and communities impacted by the storm. In the first week following Hurricane Ida's landfall, the company served more than 70,000 cups of fresh coffee to first responders, frontline utility workers and displaced residents. Mobile cafes are serving communities as rebuilding efforts continue.

Community Coffee Co., an importer, roaster and distributor of high-quality premium coffees, is the largest family-owned and operated retail coffee brand in America.

PepsiCo

PepsiCo and its philanthropic arm, the PepsiCo Foundation, are committing more than $500,000 to support emergency food deliveries and rescue operations in Louisiana in partnership with the Salvation Army, Team Rubicon and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

Support provided by PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation will meet specific needs, including:

• PepsiCo's Food for Good operation is donating more than 250,000 nutritious pre-packed, non-perishable meals to complement the hot meals the Salvation Army will serve through their mobile feeding units. 
• Emergency disaster relief services such as removing downed trees, enabling emergency search and rescue and utility services, and helping the most vulnerable communities rebuild in partnership with Team Rubicon.
• Support for local nonprofits through the Greater New Orleans Foundation to work directly with residents to provide temporary roofs, shelter for those not able to return home, legal aid and technical assistance for residents working to navigate FEMA and other applications for assistance.
• More than 13,000 nutritious meals for those affected by Hurricane Ida in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, distributed in partnership with the Salvation Army New York.

In addition, PepsiCo Beverages North America and PepsiCo Foods North America are donating hundreds of cases of Aquafina and cases of Gatorade to Houston Community College providing relief assistance, approximately 10,000 cases of Quaker products to Feed the Hungry, a nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding the poor and hungry around the world, as well as additional relief funds to local community organizations in the impacted areas.

"While first responders and relief agencies are still assessing the damage of Hurricane Ida, we know that affected citizens need relief now," said Jon Banner, executive vice president, Global Communications and president of the PepsiCo Foundation." That's why we're working with our dedicated partners the Salvation Army, Team Rubicon, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation and mobilizing our own Food for Good operation to deliver meals and emergency relief. These communities need our support as they face the immediate impacts of the storm and recover in its wake." 

The PepsiCo Foundation will also match employee donations to organizations that are providing critical relief for impacted communities along the Gulf Coast and in the Northeast region, as well as activating PEPHelp, an employee-to-employee program to support employees of PepsiCo affected by natural disasters with financial assistance.   

The PepsiCo Foundation has a longstanding history of community relief efforts and is a member of the American Red Cross' Annual Disaster Giving Program, granting at least $500,000 annually to ensure the Red Cross can pre-position supplies, secure shelters, maintain vehicles, train volunteers and prepare for future disasters.

Phillips 66

Phillips 66 will contribute $500,000 to the American Red Cross to assist relief efforts in the states affected by Hurricane Idea to bring the company’s total contribution to $1 million.

"We want those affected by Ida to know they are not alone," said Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Greg Garland. "The Red Cross is at the fore as the American people and industry marshal resources to help people recover and rebuild, and we are proud at Phillips 66 to support those efforts."

Phillips 66 operates assets in both Louisiana and New Jersey.

"The American Red Cross, our volunteers and partners are working around the clock to provide help and hope to thousands of people impacted by Hurricane Ida," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "We cannot thank Phillips 66 enough for their generosity, which will enable us to provide shelter, relief supplies, food and comfort to families as they begin to rebuild their lives after this catastrophic storm."

Houston-based Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company.

Wawa Inc.

The Wawa Foundation has made a $100,000 grant to the Red Cross Hurricane Ida Disaster Relief fund, which will provide support for efforts to assist all communities impacted by Hurricane Ida from Louisiana to the Mid-Atlantic region.

In addition, Wawa stores and its Community Care services will provide in-kind support to the Red Cross as it provides stand-up shelters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to offer comfort, assistance and meals to those impacted by flooding in the region.

"Wawa has always had a strong commitment to providing crisis response and assisting those in need, and we've been partnering with the American Red Cross in these kinds of efforts for decades," said Jared Culotta, president of the Wawa Foundation. "We are committed to supporting these efforts to assist our friends and neighbors in this time of need, as well as those beyond our geographic borders to get through this ongoing disaster."

Pennsylvania-based Wawa operates more than 900 c-stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.