Parker’s Kitchen made a $5,000 Fueling the Community donation to Aiken County Public Schools in Aiken, South Carolina at the recent opening of its newest location in the state. Dr. Corey Murphy, chief officer of operations and student services for the Aiken County Public School District, accepted the donation on behalf of local teachers and students.

“At Parker’s Kitchen, we want to exceed expectations and to be a great community partner,” said Parker’s Kitchen founder and CEO Greg Parker. “Education serves as the foundation of our philanthropy. We’re deeply honored to support Aiken County Public Schools and are committed to being an excellent neighbor in Aiken, Augusta, Georgia and North Augusta.”

The Parker’s Fueling the Community charitable initiative donates a percentage of gas sold at all Parker’s Kitchen locations to local schools on the first Wednesday of each month. The company has donated more than $2 million to area schools across South Carolina and Georgia since the inception of the Fueling the Community program in 2011.

The new store is the first of many retail locations planned for the Aiken, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia markets. Local dignitaries in attendance at the ribbon cutting and check presentation included Aiken Mayor Teddy Milner; County Council Chairman Gary Bunker; City Council members Ed Girardeau, Kay Brohl, Gail Diggs; and Aiken Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jim Tunison.

Parker’s Kitchen currently operates 84 retail stores in Georgia and South Carolina and plans to double its number of stores in the next four years.

Meanwhile, Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s announced its team hosted a Meals From the Heartland Hunger Fight at its Store Support Center last week on LinkedIn. The team packaged 20,000 meals that will feed those in need locally

Meals from the Heartland is a non-profit organization in West Des Moines, Iowa with a mission statement of “Empowering people to save the starving.” With volunteer help, the nonprofit can provide meals to those in need in the United States and developing countries all over the world.

QuickChek Corporation announced it was kicking off Volunteer Appreciation Month by preparing potatoes to plant at America’s Grow-a-Row, and said on LinkedIn that the team was “having a great time while we help out!”

The LinkedIn post also shared that next week, QuickChek would keep volunteerism going strong with a visit to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.