At the NACS Leadership Forum this week, Brian Hannasch, the chairman of the NACS board of directors, announced that the board has approved a $2.5 million pledge match to the NACS Foundation. This is the first time the NACS executive committee has made a pledge match commitment. It is in effect for the rest of 2025.

Hannasch made the announcement during a leadership master class with NACS CEO and President Henry Armour.

The convenience and fuel retailing industry donates billions of dollars to good causes every year, and the NACS Foundation unifies and builds on these efforts and shares the stories of the industry’s contributions.

Hannasch praised the success of the Foundation’s 24/7 Day, an annual celebration that takes place July 24 and honors first responders. Last year, more than 30,000 convenience stores and 80+ companies participated in this event, which also highlights the critical role the industry plays in supporting first responders and others who work around the clock. The event earned over 235 million media hits last year and received media coverage in more than half of the country.

“You think about the reputation of our industry, it can be held to the highest common denominator or the lowest,” said Hannasch. “Having messaging out there about what we’re about—that we’re local, that we give back to our communities, that we’re critical infrastructure—has been great.”

With the $2.5 million matching pledge, the goal is to ensure the NACS Foundation “can continue to speak and do great things on behalf of all of us and our communities,” Hannasch said. “It’s a very visible opportunity we have to demonstrate that we’re giving back and enhancing the reputation of our industry.”

In addition to 24/7 Day, signature programs that will be supported by the pledge are:

• Neighborhood Nourish, a program dedicated to addressing food insecurity, hunger relief and food recovery in the communities where NACS members do business. Funds raised will power a pilot program for this effort, which is particularly relevant as the industry increasingly focuses on foodservice.
• Future Fund, which provides funding support to NACS Executive Education programming, as well as internships and annual scholarships to the employees and family members of NACS retail member companies. This fund ensures top talent stays within the convenience industry.

In 2024, NACS invested in the foundation by hiring its first full-time executive director, Kevin O’Connell. The NACS Foundation is strategically fundraising to enable sustainable, high-impact programming. “We’re inviting individual donors and corporate partners to be part of this movement and strengthen the communities we serve for years to come,” said O’Connell. “The early response to this matching pledge has been strong, as members of the convenience industry recognize that there’s never been a better time to work together and amplify the industry’s exceptional story around giving back.”

Individual, company and foundation-to-foundation pledges are tax deductible and can be submitted by visiting the Foundation Pledge page on the NACS Foundation website or by e-mailing O’Connell at koconnell@convenience.org.