Wawa Inc., and The Wawa Foundation launched a chain-wide, in-store crisis campaign designed to provide emergency relief assistance to communities most affected by Hurricane Milton last week. The campaign is being held in partnership with the American Red Cross and allows customers to add $1, $3 or $5 to their Wawa purchase at checkout. The Wawa Foundation will match the first $100,000 in customer contributions to the campaign and all money will be donated to Hurricane Milton relief, Wawa said in a press release.
Wawa is also donating $500,000 to the Florida Disaster Fund to “support the state of Florida’s private fund established to provide financial assistance to communities as they respond to and recover from times of emergency or disaster.”
“All of us at Wawa are committed to helping our Florida friends and neighbors during this time of need. Wawa has been in Florida for more than ten years now and, as a member of this community, we are taking a number of steps to help with storm recovery efforts,” said Chris Gheysens, Wawa CEO.
Pilot Flying J, Tennessee Athletics and the University of Tennessee (UT) also are supporting relief efforts by coming together to collect donations for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
UT partnered with Pilot to accept donations at the Pilot PSS Warehouse from Tuesday, October 15, through Thursday, October 17. The donated supplies will be sent to the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center, Pilot said in a press release.
Pilot said it is also mobilizing its extensive network of travel centers to support communities affected by Hurricane Helene through an in-store round-up campaign for the American Red Cross. From October 4 to October 18, 2024, guests can visit any U.S. owned and operated Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel center location to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar and provide aid to those affected by the hurricane. One hundred percent of funds raised will support Red Cross response efforts in impacted communities across the Southeast.
Citgo Petroleum is donating $100,000 toward disaster relief efforts in North Carolina and Florida. Citgo said that World Central Kitchen (WCK) will receive $50,000 and SBP will receive $50,000 to assist in recovery operations, including the immediate need for food and water and long-term recovery efforts. In addition to financial contributions, Citgo is “working to provide fuel in western North Carolina to support relief efforts, ensuring essential supplies and aid can reach communities in need during this critical time,” it said in a press release.
NACS has several resources to help convenience retailers plan and prepare for emergencies. Check out the resources here.