ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NACS, through a partnership with the American Red Cross, continues to advance community giving and disaster relief programs for NACS member companies with the launch of a Retailer In-Store Customer Donation Kit. This new program is designed to help convenience store companies—especially smaller operators with five stores or fewer—and their customers connect with a nationwide cause. And for larger companies, NACS is working with the Red Cross on a “concierge service” that can help retailers customize campaigns.
Each co-branded NACS/Red Cross donation kit provides materials for display and collection of donations in convenience stores. And, to celebrate our launch, we're waiving all costs to participate—including shipping.
The pre-assembled retailer Customer Donation Kit is now available to order online. Each kit is designed for one store and contains the following NACS/Red Cross branded items:
- Engaging Employees in Partnership Activation Handbook (1)
- Point-of-purchase signs (2 per kit)
- Barcodes/UPC codes for each register (2 per kit)
- Employee buttons (2 per kit)
- Customer “I donated!” card for display (200 per kit)
- Marketing collateral signage
The first 20 convenience retail companies to place a Customer Donation Kit order will receive premiums for employee recognition.
In June 2017, NACS became the first retail-focused association to partner with the Red Cross, which enables both organizations to develop resources that facilitate donation collection by convenience store companies, as well as encourage volunteer assistance programs for Red Cross volunteers around specific local or national events. NACS retailer and supplier members were credited with donating more than $17 million in disaster relief to the Red Cross in the weeks immediately after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters across the United State each year, most of which are home fires, and deploys volunteer disaster relief workers to support its efforts. Donations are crucial to the success of its missions and NACS is working closely with its retail members to help them achieve their community and philanthropic goals.
“Convenience stores are in every community in the U.S. and are often the only retailer open in times of episodic events. Together with the Red Cross, we are advancing the existing programs that convenience stores participate in to provide immediate access to much-needed donations as well as food, fuel and beverages for Red Cross volunteers,” said NACS President and CEO Henry Armour.
“The Red Cross is proud to partner with the National Association of Convenience Stores and their members across the country,” said Brad Kieserman vice president of disaster services operations and logistics at the Red Cross. “We share a mission to serve the communities we live in, and through this partnership, NACS members can give their customers a convenient way to donate and support Red Cross services.”
The NACS Convenience Matters podcast “Working with the Red Cross in Times of Crisis,” also focuses on the new program.
Information about the donation program and the partnership between NACS and the American Red Cross is at convenience.org/RedCross. For additional inquiries, contact Carolyn Schnare, NACS director of strategic initiatives.