ALEXANDRIA, Va.—May is Military Appreciation Month, and veteran-founded Pilot Company is donating $100,000 to Hire Heroes USA, an organization dedicated to providing job search assistance to current members of the military, veterans and their spouses, according to a news release. Military members and their families will also be celebrated at the company's travel centers across North America with special offers and freebies available in the myRewards Plus app.
"We are passionate about serving those who protect our country and are grateful for organizations like Hire Heroes USA that are helping find meaningful and successful careers for these highly skilled service men and women," said Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Company. "Pilot appreciates and recognizes the strong leadership qualities and talents that they bring to our team and is proud to have veterans employed across our organization. We hope partnerships like this will bring more veterans into the workforce."
With this $100,000 donation, Hire Heroes USA will be able to take 100 military members through the transition process and into great careers.
Pilot Company is extending its thanks during Military Appreciation Month with exclusive offers in May and a year-round 10% discount on food and beverages for the military and their families. Canadian military veterans can also validate their military status through ID.me and utilize the year-round 10% military discount when checking out at a participating Flying J travel center in Canada.
Meanwhile, Parker’s recently donated $56,000 to the Beaufort County School District as part of the company’s Fueling the Community program, according to a news release.
The Fueling the Community program is a charitable initiative that donates a portion of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools in coastal South Carolina and Georgia. A portion of the Parker’s donation goes to support the school district’s annual Support Person of the Year recognition program, which honors school nurses, social workers, bookkeepers, office managers, teacher assistants, school secretaries, bus drivers and technology and data specialists. Other funds go to specific schools designated by Parker’s Pump Pal members when they purchase fuel on the first Wednesday of each month.
“We’re incredibly honored to support the hard work of district employees who serve the children of families right here in Beaufort County through our Fueling the Community program,” said Parker’s Community Outreach Manager Olivia Parker. “At Parker's, giving back is part of our DNA. We want to be a force for positive change in the communities where we operate stores and believe education has the power to transform lives.”
Parker’s is donating about $275,000 to public and private schools in Georgia and South Carolina this spring and has given more than $1.8 million to area schools since the inception of the Fueling the Community program in 2011.
Additionally, EG America recently announced an in-store fundraising campaign with United Way, and funds raised throughout the month of May will support United Way’s efforts to advance youth development and educational resources in partnership with local nonprofit organizations, according to a news release.
Throughout May, guests can donate a dollar amount of their choosing upon checkout at any of EG America’s 1,700+ convenience stores to support local United Way chapters.
Donations will be redirected from local United Way chapters to organizations that provide educational resources and development programs to underserved youth nationwide. Funds will help partner agencies such as Boys and Girls Clubs and Attendance Works to provide safe after-school programming, literacy programs, career preparation and more.
This marks the third fundraiser between EG America and United Way. Since the first fundraiser in 2020, over $170,000 has been raised in support of education, income, health and United Way’s overarching mission to advance the common good in communities around the world.
“It’s an honor to continue our partnership with United Way and invest in the education of young people across the nation,” said George Fournier, president of EG America. “United Way’s mission aligns closely with our values, and we are eager to help them address unmet educational needs in the communities we serve. We encourage our guests to join us in supporting this cause next time they check out.”