Community Service Spotlight: Global Partners, Royal Farms & Weiler Convenience Stores
NATIONAL REPORT — Giving back through community service efforts and charitable 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:
CITGO Petroleum Corp.
CITGO Petroleum Corp. had a successful fundraising year, raising more than $2.3 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). CITGO employees, marketers, retailers, vendors and contractors held several fundraisers throughout the year. Golf events in Lake Charles, La., Lemont, Ill., and Corpus Christi, Texas, each had record-breaking results, raising more than $400,000 each, while a Houston golf event raised more than $880,000. A bowling event in Lemont raised more than $110,000.
"Our business partners and communities have always shown the immense depth of their generosity for MDA at these events," said CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jordá. "This year's record fundraising results combined with our longstanding partnership with MDA demonstrate our continued commitment to MDA's critical mission."
Since 1986, CITGO has raised more than $260 million through annual fundraising campaigns that support MDA's research grants and Care Center network at the nation's top medical institutions nationwide. Funds also support the MDA resource center and help send children affected by neuromuscular diseases to MDA Summer Camp programs across the country at no cost to families.
"We are so grateful to CITGO employees, marketers, retailers, vendors and contractors for making critical contributions that continue to lead to breakthroughs in treatment and care," said MDA President and CEO Donald S. Wood. "We could not have made this progress without the funding from our longstanding partners at CITGO."
CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 38 active terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,300 locally owned and independently operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains.
CITGO Petroleum Corp. is owned by CITGO Holding Inc.
Global Partners LP
As the Northeast faces unprecedented uncertainty and challenges in the energy market, Global Partners LP donated $2 million to provide heating oil for those in need. The donation was directed to seven states in the Northeast and distributed to local nonprofit entities serving low-income households:
- $1.3 million was evenly split between Massachusetts and New York
- $700,000 was split between Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
The donation will provide heating fuel to warm an estimated 4,000 households in the Northeast this winter.
"Global has an annual and long-standing program of making heating oil donations to local housing authorities and other nonprofit partners in more than 15 communities where Global has terminals. This year, recognizing additional need in the community, we expanded the program into a multimillion dollar support effort," said Eric Slifka, president and CEO of Global Partners.
Global Partners, founded in New England in 1933, began as one truck delivering home heating oil to ensure families stayed warm throughout the winter. Today, Global is one of the Northeast's largest suppliers of liquid energy, powering businesses and getting people where they need to go.
Jacksons Food Stores Inc.
Jacksons Food Stores Inc. held the "Pathways to Potential" giving campaign benefiting Boys & Girls Club of America.
From Nov. 24 through Dec. 25, shoppers were able to make a donation at the time of purchase benefiting their neighborhood clubs at 300-plus Jacksons stores across Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, California and Utah. At the end of the campaign, Jacksons will match the total donation dollar-for-dollar.
"We continue to support Boys & Girls Clubs because their impact reaches far beyond our local youth," said Cory Jackson, president of Jacksons Food Stores. "In addition to supporting kids through their dynamic programming like college prep and workforce development, they provide more accessible and affordable childcare for working families."
The family-owned retailer raised $250,000 for in-market Clubs in 2021.
Jacksons has been a supporter of local Boys & Girls Clubs for more than 10 years. The retailer offers several chances for shoppers give back to help local kids. Patrons can donate $1, $5 or $10 at the point of purchase. Co-branded Pathwater bottles are also available year-round with 25 cents of each purchase donated to each store's neighborhood Club. A total of 176,000 water bottles have been sold over the last 10 years.
Mars Inc.
DOVE Chocolate continues to support female entrepreneurs and small businesses in the United States by launching its second year of DOVE InstaGrants, a program that is designed to uplift, celebrate and empower women entrepreneurs with a chance to win one of three $10,000 grants.
This year's program provides women across the U.S. an opportunity to pitch a new business idea or established small business concept for a chance to win a $10,000 grant and additional support to come in 2023.
From Dec. 5–19, women entrepreneurs could share a 30-second business pitch via Instagram with the hashtag #DOVEInstaGrantsEntry and tag @DoveChocolate, or upload their video on DoveChocolateInstaGrants.com.
"With the great success of last year's program, we wanted to inspire moments of everyday happiness again by relaunching DOVE InstaGrants and offer even more women a chance to live out their business and entrepreneurial dreams," said Michelle Deignan, senior director at Mars Wrigley. "According to researchers from Columbia Business School and London Business School, 63 percent of women entrepreneurs are less likely to receive funding than men, regardless of their background and ideas, so there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure women are given the financial confidence they need to excel."
The program builds on DOVE Chocolate's long-standing partnership with CARE, an international humanitarian agency. The partnership works to empower women in West African cocoa-growing communities by building their financial literacy, defining their voices in financial decisions and developing their small businesses. The DOVE InstaGrants program aims to bring this purpose work to the U.S, as it has seen the empowerment financial community and conversation can offer in its work in West Africa.
Mars Inc. is a global, family-owned business. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, the company produces some of the world's best-loved brands including Ben's Original, CESAR, Cocoavia, DOVE, EXTRA, KIND, M&M's, SNICKERS, PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN and WHISKAS.
Maverik — Adventure's First Stop
Maverik — Adventure's First Stop's guests and team members raised $421,397 for Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, through rounding up cash and credit card transactions to the nearest $1. These funds will be added to Maverik's direct donation of $50,000 to kick off the campaign, bringing the grand total donation to $471,397 for 2022.
Ninety percent of the round up donations that were raised will stay local, with each region's collections going to food banks that serve people in that same region. Maverik's donation will be distributed to Feeding America member food banks across the 12 western states where the c-store retailer operates. The remaining donation will support national strategies to help Feeding America address hunger in America.
"We are overwhelmed by the kindness of our customers and team members this year," said Chuck Maggelet, president and chief adventure guide of Maverik. "With record-high food prices and many turning to food banks this season, it's an amazing feeling to help make an impact through this contribution and donations through our food waste reduction program."
Since April, Maverik's food waste reduction program has donated more than 492,000 pounds of surplus food, helping to provide more than 410,000 meals. Maverik plans to expand the program, which currently operates in more than 90 stores in five states.
In 2021, Maverik donated more than $580,000 to Feeding America, helping to provide more than 5 million meals.
OnCue
OnCue raised more than $27,500 through the sale of specialty cups, whereby 50 cents from each purchase were given to the store's local school district in Oklahoma and Texas.
The cup campaign ran from July to the end of September. OnCue operates stores in 24 Oklahoma school districts and one Texas district, each of which were recipients of a portion of the $27,5000 gift.
"The continued growth of this program blows us away each year," said Laura Aufleger, president of OnCue. "It shows our communities value education as much as we do, and we love providing this opportunity show their support."
This is the sixth consecutive year OnCue has offered the Support Local Schools cups, first created in response to the teacher walkout in 2018. The program has amounted to more than $98,000 in donations for local schools.
Stillwater, Okla.-based OnCue operates more than 75 convenience stores in Oklahoma and Texas.
Royal Farms
Royal Farms and PepsiCo partnered to bring cheer to all 220 families receiving care at Johns Hopkins Children's Center with a $100 Royal Farms gift card. Johns Hopkins Children’s Center provides patient- and family-centered health care in a diverse and inclusive environment.
"Royal Farms is excited to partner with Pepsi Stronger Together this Holiday Season to continue our long-term commitment to purposeful giving and providing for our community's children," said Royal Farms Marketing and Merchandising Director Frank Schilling.
In addition, all 50 residents at The Children's Home of Maryland will receive a $25 gift card this holiday season. The Children’s Home provides residential and community services to promote long-term well being and success for young people and families who experience disruption in their lives.
"Having a hospitalized child is already a tough situation for families, but this becomes even more so during the holidays. This generous gift from Royal Farms and Pepsi will make our patients' and families' lives a bit brighter this holiday season," said Cynthia Palacz, director of Corporate Engagement and Events at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
Royal Farms will be donating chocolate bars and Pepsi Stronger Together will be donating Aquafina Water and Frito Lay Chips to the all the children at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and The Children’s Home. Pepsi and Royal Farms also hosted a virtual bingo match at Johns Hopkins Children's Center on Dec. 14.
"Pepsi Stronger Together is excited to partner with Royal Farms and give back to the communities they serve during the Holiday Season," said Dorian Lopez, Pepsi account manager.
In November, Royal Farms also donated 75 K-Cup boxes and creamers to help support the staff at Johns Hopkins Children's Center as we enter flu season.
Baltimore-based Royal Farms operates 260 c-stores in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia.
Stewart's Shops
Stewart's Shops is accepting applications for its annual Holiday Match program through Jan. 31. Last year, the c-store chain helped more than 1,700 nonprofits impacting children.
The 2021-2022 Holiday Match program raised more than $2 million for local children's organizations. From Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day, Stewart's customers donated more than $1 million to the program. Each individual donation is matched penny for penny by Stewart's Shops. There are no administrative costs and 100 percent of the funds benefit local, nonprofit children's organizations.
Customers have helped the c-store chain raise more than $34 million since 1986.
Nonprofits can apply by clicking here.
Saratoga Springs-based Stewart's Shops operates more than 350 c-stores across New York and southern Vermont.
Talking Rain Beverage Co.
Sparkling Ice selected three charities as recipients of its second annual holiday give-back initiative, "Cheers to Giving," a campaign created to celebrate nonprofits making a difference in their communities. Strong Little Souls, Beautiful Spirited Women and We Don't Waste will each receive $50,000.
Each serving a vital and valued purpose for families, children and women across the nation, the three organizations are being honored for their overall impact and dedication to giving back to their communities:
- Strong Little Souls aims to brighten the days of children fighting cancer through care packages while financially supporting families with critical expenses.
- Beautiful Spirited Women's mission is to be a support group of women whose sole purpose is to uplift women and girls to higher spirits, rebuild, fellowship and assist worldwide.
- We Don't Waste works to reduce hunger and food waste in the Denver area by recovering quality, unused food from the food industry and delivering it to nonprofit partners.
"We're honored to recognize and award these three nonprofits for their incredible charitable efforts as they continue making a difference within each of their communities," said Nina Morrison, senior vice president of Community Experience at Talking Rain. "One thing that makes the Cheers to Giving program so special is that each charity has been nominated by a Sparkling Ice consumer. With each donation, we have the opportunity to support the causes that matter most to our consumers while helping the charities make an even greater impact in the communities they serve."
The brand's donations will benefit the organizations by strengthening their upcoming programming and important initiatives during the holiday season, as well as into 2023.
Sparkling Ice, a Talk Rain Beverage Co. brand, is on a mission to Live in Full Flavor. In 2020, the brand launched a series of campaigns to promote a message of positivity and togetherness across America, including the Cheers to Heroes campaign, honoring everyday heroes, and the Cheers to You Town Beautification Program, celebrating small towns across America through community-driven projects.
Weiler Convenience Stores
Weiler Convenience Stores are selling specially designed T-shirts to raise funds for local animal welfare organizations Marshfield Area Pet Shelter (MAPS) and the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation in Wisconsin.
Featuring bright colors and the slogan "You Can't Buy Love But You Can Rescue It," the shirts were designed by local graphic designer Kaylan Petrie and printed at Premier Printing.
All funds raised will go directly to the rescues, with Weiler having donated all costs of the shirts. T-Shirts are $20 and sweatshirts are $38.
"Our local shelters do so much and are always in need of donations," said Kelly Weiler, owner. "Our T-shirt fundraiser has been a great success in the past and we wanted to bring it back again this holiday season. … We're part of this community and want to help where we can. These make great gifts."
Marshfield, Wis.-based Weiler Convenience Stores operates three locations throughout Wisconsin.
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