Community Service Spotlight: Duchess Shoppes, Casey’s & St. Romain Oil

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.

Casey’s renewed its commitment to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum by pledging $25,000 to the museum foundation’s “Expand the Dream” campaign. Casey’s has been involved with the museum since the days of its nonprofit incorporation and the creation of its founding board of directors back in the mid-1980s.

CEFCO Convenience Stores

CEFCO is raising funds in six states -- Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama -- to benefit Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals for vital pediatric equipment, treatments, therapy programs and charitable care.

Through April 30, CEFCO store employees are rallying to help their nearest CMN hospital by asking customers to purchase a $1 Miracle Balloon paper icon. Each donation at the register will be rewarded with $1 off a sandwich/drink combo.

CEFCO has raised more than $2.1 million for local sick and injured kids since partnering with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. In 2013, the company achieved a 40-percent increase in its campaign totals for CMN Hospitals. In addition to its eight-week Miracle Balloon campaign, the convenience store chain hosts an annual golf tournament at its headquarters in Temple, Texas, to benefit the charity.

Duchess Shoppes

Englefield Oil Co.’s Duchess Shoppes chain is inviting customers to honor everyday heroes with a donation to the American Red Cross this month. Customers can purchase a Red Cross icon for $1 at any of the chain’s 123 Ohio convenience stores throughout March, which is designated Red Cross Month.

PepsiCo Inc. has also jumped on board, pledging to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Lipton Pure Leaf Iced Tea in all Duchess Shoppe stores during the month. The retailer will match the donation. Both the customer donation icons and the Lipton Tea sales during the month will fund critical community services of the Red Cross.

Kum & Go LC

Kum & Go launched a new partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, the organization's first with a convenience store retailer. Kum & Go committed to a $100,000 corporate gift and will sponsor construction of a Habitat for Humanity home in one of the communities it serves. The chain operates more than 420 c-stores in 11 states.

Customers are being asked to join the effort by adding a $1 donation to their in-store purchases throughout the month of March. Kum & Go will sponsor a Habitat for Humanity project in the region that collects the most money as a percentage of customer traffic. Kum & Go’s goal is to receive $100,000 in customer donations to support the company’s “Let’s Build a Home Together” project. All donations will go to Habitat for Humanity to support their mission to build homes, communities and hope.

St. Romain Oil Co.

St. Romain Oil, parent company of Y-Not Stop convenience stores, donated $18,265 to the Alzheimer’s Association as a part of the retailer's Corporate Works of Mercy program. Of that amount, $3,719 was donated by the community, $913 was donated by sponsors and $1,151 was donated by employees. 

Since 2007, St. Romain Oil has been a proud sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Association, raising more than $100,000 to support research and awareness. The retailer also assisted in raising awareness of Alzheimer's by participating in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Alexandria, Va., in November.

In 2012, St. Romain Oil created its Corporate Works of Mercy Program and has developed a partnership with four additional organizations -- Food Bank of Central Louisiana, Hope House, Faith House and Re-Entry Solutions -- to focus on helping more people locally. The mission of the Corporate Works of Mercy program is to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, provide shelter to the homeless, care for the sick and dying, and help ransom the captive.