Community Service Spotlight: CHS, Mirabito, OnCue & Rutter's

As the Get Fit for No Kid Hungry presenting sponsor, Dole championed influencers hosting livestream workout, nutrition and mindfulness sessions all month to build awareness of the increase in childhood hunger since COVID-19, with the ultimate goal of raising funds to support No Kid Hungry's work to ensure that every child in America has access to the healthy food they need to thrive. In December, Dole renewed its national alliance with No Kid Hungry, a campaign to end childhood hunger in America, as a 2022 corporate partner.

"Dole believes everyone should be eating fresh produce to prolong health. Knowing that one in six kids in the U.S. could experience hunger this year due to the prolonged effects of the pandemic, Dole is moved to use its platform in partnership with No Kid Hungry to address the crisis," said William Goldfield, Dole's director of corporate communications. "We know the role that fitness plays in a healthy lifestyle, and the importance of establishing healthier habits in 2022 after the past several challenging years from a mental health, nutrition and exercise standpoint. Get Fit for No Kid Hungry addresses all of that and makes it easy for the public to participate. We're excited to help get the word out."

Dole's sponsorship of Get Fit for No Kid Hungry was part of a larger month of activities that encourage its followers and the public to start 2022 off on the right foot. Elements included nutrition- and fitness-related tips and dual-branded social, web, email and public relations activities throughout January.

GPM Investments LLC

GPM, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arko Corp., announced Texas resident Tarik Jinks is winner of the 2021 Dr Pepper/GPM College Tuition Giveaway.

The inaugural college tuition giveaway ran Sept. 8 through Nov. 2 and offered a grand prize of $25,000 in college educational grants. The prize money is payable for tuition or to pay off student loans for eligible costs. It can also cover college or post-secondary vocational institution tuition, including fees, books, supplies, equipment, related educational expenses and on-campus room and board.

"I thought it was a joke when I first heard the news," said Jinks. "I didn't realize I was going to get this lucky the day I entered, I just entered the tuition giveaway in passing. I plan to put this money toward settling the debt from the student loan I took out many years ago."

To enter, participants were required to text "LEARN" to 737737 during the promotion period. The winner was selected by a random drawing of participants from GPM stores nationwide.

"On behalf of everyone at GPM, I would like to congratulate Tarik Jinks on winning the 2021 Dr Pepper/GPM College Tuition Giveaway," said GPM Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer Michael Bloom. "It's extremely important for us to give back to the individuals that make up our community, and we're proud to partner with Dr Pepper to do something meaningful for college students and recent graduates."

Richmond, Va.-based GPM operates or supplies stores in 33 states and Washington, D.C. As the sixth largest c-store chain in the country, GPM has approximately 3,100 locations, comprising approximately 1,415 company-operated stores and 1,675 dealer sites to which it supplies fuel.

Mirabito Convenience Stores

Mirabito's philanthropic arm, Mirabito Cares, donated a total of $84,500 to support a handful of organizations. Monies were raised through employee efforts and customer donations from October through December. 

Organizations will receive the following:

• The Foundation for Women's Cancer — $10,000
• The Southern Tier Veterans Support Group (STVSG) — $35,000
• Operation Homefront Foundation — $35,000
• The Salvation Army of Binghamton — $4,500

"Over the past few months, our Mirabito convenience store team has stepped up in a big way to help others, and the response and generosity that Mirabito customers have shown is admirable, to say the least," said Chairman and CEO Joe Mirabito. "We choose to support these organizations because each of them makes a difference for local people, and we are thankful for their efforts. Now, more than ever, it is important to realize the positive impact we can make when everyone works together toward common goals."

Additionally, Mirabito Energy Products recently presented a $20,000 donation to Rich Horgan, founder and CEO of Cure Rare Disease, a nonprofit biotech developing treatments for rare diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Nebraska Ethanol Board

The Nebraska Ethanol Board raised $10,827.61 for breast cancer research, benefitting the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha. During the month of October, when drivers chose higher blends of ethanol fuel — like E15, E30 and E85 at participating retail locations — gas stations donated 3 cents for each gallon toward breast cancer research.

In the past four years, fuel retailers across Nebraska have joined forces to raise nearly $30,000 for cancer research as part of "Fuel the Cure."

"Ethanol producers and sellers have been the biggest proponents of providing an environmentally friendlier way to power our vehicles for many years," said Jessica Sodeke, program manager for the Nebraska Ethanol Board. "We commend these retailers for making higher ethanol blends available and giving consumers a choice in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Supporting 'Fuel the Cure' is a step beyond because the funds are directly impacting lives of patients at the Buffett Cancer Center."

OnCue

Stillwater, Okla.-based OnCue recently sold thousands of "Support Local Schools" fundraiser cups, giving 50 cents from every cup to each store's local school district for a total of more than $15,000. Twenty-four Oklahoma school districts will receive a donation.

"We love supporting local schools through our reusable cups each year," said Laura Aufleger, president of OnCue. "It allows us to focus funds in the specific communities where we all live and work. Thank you to all of our dedicated employees and customers who make the fundraising cups so special each year."

The cup campaign ran from July to the end of September. This marks the fourth consecutive year OnCue has offered the Support Local Schools cups. The program has amounted to more than $75,000 in donations for local schools since 2018.

Additionally, OnCue collected $301,500 during the annual St. Jude Halloween Promotion to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In exchange for contributing $1 or more, patrons received a Halloween-themed pinup displaying a St. Jude patient.

"OnCue is honored to continue its partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to help support children, families and researchers fighting childhood cancer," said Aufleger. "We know that the work St. Jude does has an impact around the world and right here at home. Thank you to all our dedicated employees and customers who play a critical role in this effort."

The convenience operator is one of St. Jude's largest regional partners, raising $2,915,164 for the organization throughout its 15-year partnership.

OnCue operates 75 c-stores across Oklahoma and Texas.

Parker's Convenience Stores

St. Simons Island, Ga.-based Parker's Convenience Stores presented a check for $1 million to Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation to support local causes and nonprofit organizations throughout Glynn, Mcintosh and Appling County.

"We want to increase our level of support for organizations in the community and to be actively engaged," said President Patrick Parker. "At Parker's Convenience Stores, we are 100 percent committed to giving to local causes and want to raise our level of giving because we're proud to be based here in Glynn County. We think it's important to give back to the communities that have supported us over the years."

Parker's operates 11 retail stores across southeastern Georgia.

Rutter's

Rutter's and Rutter's Children's Charities closed out 2021 with more than $1 million in total charitable donations.

Every year, both Rutter's and the charity provide numerous fundraising opportunities to benefit local charitable organizations. Through these different programs, employees, customers, suppliers and numerous local organizations partner in giving back throughout their shared communities.

Some of the annual charitable efforts include:

• Vote with Your Dollars
• Rutter's Charity Cannister Program
• Rutter's Children's Charities' Golf Outing
• Secret Santa Program
• Feeding the Frontline
• Rutter's Rewards Schools

"We have a great appreciation for the people and organizations who continue to support our communities every single day, especially during these difficult times. We're elated to have the ability to support them, and look forward to continuing our charitable efforts here in 2022," said Chris Hartman, president of Rutter's Children's Charities.

Recently, Rutter's donated a total of $75,000 to three organizations: the YMCA of Centre County, Bravo Foundation and Junior Achievement of South-Central PA. These monies will be used to support the children and students that these organizations serve.

This year, Rutter's also hosted its annual toy drive, through which the operator collected a total of 544 toys. These toys were evenly divided and donated to both the Mont Alto Fire Co. and The Salvation Army to be given out to children during this past holiday season.

Additionally, Rutter's Children's Charities awarded $75,000 to four local organizations as part of the 2021 Vote With Your Dollars program. Winners included:

• $15,000 to the Ronald McDonald House of Central PA
• $15,000 to Adams County SPCA
• $20,000 to the York County Food Bank
• $25,000 to Make-A-Wish

"Supporting our local communities is a crucial part of our charity efforts," said Hartman. "We're proud to continue Vote With Your Dollars because it gives Rutter's customers the opportunity to choose a charity that they are passionate about and help support them. Congrats to the 2021 winners and we look forward to doing it again in 2022!"

The Vote With Your Dollars program allows Rutter's VIP loyalty members to choose the local charity they want to support with their purchases at any Rutter's location. During the campaign, from April through October, every dollar spent at the pump or inside the store counts as a vote for the charity they have selected. Charity selection can be done online or via the Rutter's mobile app.

Rutter's Children's Charities began Vote With Your Dollars in 2015, and has since donated more than $325,000 to the local charities involved.

York, Pa.-based Rutter's operates 79 locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. 

Sheetz Inc.

Sheetz For the Kidz, the employee-driven charity supporting underprivileged children, raised $2.2 million for children in need in 2021 through in-store fundraising. This amount is the most money the charity has raised through customer donations since it began in 1992, according to the convenience retailer.

"The desire to make the holiday season brighter for children in our local communities continues to be a major focus for our employees, and our amazing customers continued to step up in considerable ways to meet their needs," said Sheetz For the Kidz Executive Director Brittany Funcheon. "Our customers' outpouring of support and donations allowed us the opportunity to help over 10,000 children and families in need in the communities we serve."

During the months of July and December, Sheetz customers had the opportunity to support kids in their local communities through donation boxes near the register and by adding donations to their purchase at the point of sale.

With 100 percent of all donations directly supporting local children, Sheetz For the Kidz provides children in need the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with gifts such as new toys, clothes and other basic needs. Each of Sheetz's 640 stores supported 16 children from their local communities.

There are many other ways customers can support Sheetz For the Kidz throughout the year:

• Purchasing a Sheetz For the Kidz water, with 25 cents from each bottle directly supporting the charity;
• Shopping on AmazonSmile and selecting "Sheetz For the Kidz" as the charity of choice, after which Amazon will donate .5 percent of purchases to the charity;
• Donating loyalty points through the Sheetz app; and
• Donating online.

Last year, Sheetz For the Kidz raised more than $1.8 million during its annual months of in-store fundraising.