Community Service Spotlight: Casey’s, Parker's & VERC

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 highlights these philanthropic efforts in this special section.

Here are the latest company spotlights:

Casey’s General Stores Inc.

During the entire month of May, patrons of Casey's General Stores will be invited to support Hope For The Warriors by purchasing a "dog tag" for $1. The tags will be available at more than 1,800 Casey's locations and displayed inside the stores.

This is the third year that Casey's has supported Hope For The Warriors in the month of May. More than $745,000 has been donated to the organization in the past two years.

C.N. Brown Co.

C.N. Brown and CITGO Petroleum Corp., sponsors of the annual "Buy a Shamrock" paper mobile program to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), raised more than $103,000 to benefit children, adults and families affected by neuromuscular disease in their local communities. From mid-February through March 17, C.N. Brown's CITGO Big Apple Food Stores in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont encouraged customers to purchase $1 and $5 paper shamrock mobiles to raise funds for MDA.

The proceeds from the 2014 "Buy a Shamrock" campaign will help the local MDA chapters of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont send children to MDA summer camps and support research and clinics in Bangor and Portland, Maine. CITGO is MDA's largest corporate sponsor, raising more than $160 million since 1986.

Parker’s Convenience Stores

Parker’s presented a $5,000 "Fueling the Community" check to Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools in Georgia. The donation is part of the company’s $25,000 unrestricted charitable contribution to area schools in Georgia and South Carolina. This marked Parker's third-annual donation to Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools.

PS Food Mart

PS Food Mart Charities and CITGO marketer Folk Oil raised nearly $62,000 to support local food pantries through the fifth annual "Fight Hunger Give Hope" campaign. Thirty-one PS Food Mart locations across southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio surpassed their fundraising goal of $50,000 by encouraging customers to purchase $1 or $5 certificates, which were then posted around the stores as a sign of support. 

The funds raised will stay in the area to benefit local food banks, including the Homer Caring and Sharing Pantry, Branch Area Food Pantry, Williamston Food Bank, Jackson Community Food Pantry, the South Central Michigan Food Bank, Toledo Seagate Food Bank and several other local food pantries.

VERC Enterprises

VERC Enterprises was recently honored as a Leader in Employment Opportunities by Cardinal Cushing Centers Inc.’s South Shore Industries Division in Massachusetts for its commitment to employing individuals with intellectual, developmental and physical challenges. Cardinal Cushing Centers provides work development programs for adults.

VERC Enterprises Vice President Paul Vercollone, Director of Operations and Human Resources Barry Ahern, and Category Manager Ed Oliveira attended the annual luncheon held April 3, where VERC and other companies were honored for finding the value in a diverse workforce.

West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association

The West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association (WV OMEGA) launched a public fundraising campaign to help the more than 4,000 West Virginia children in need of in-home and out-of-home care, and the 1,200 children in need of adoption. Brightly-colored paper flowers will be sold for $1 at nearly 500 WV OMEGA-member convenience and grocery stores across the state.

WV OMEGA is partnering with the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia to raise funds that will be used to support child assistance programs, such as emergency child shelters, foster care, adoption, mentoring, early intervention and numerous other family support programs throughout the state.