NACS Foundation and Vontier Combat Hunger in Raleigh

Vontier Corporation recently donated $25,000 to the NACS Foundation’s Neighborhood Nourish program, marking the two groups’ inaugural activation in Raleigh, North Carolina and the first part of Vontier’s 2026 investment in the NACS Foundation’s food assistance programming.

In partnership with the nonprofit Convoy of Hope, Vontier mobilized over 40 employee and community volunteers to pack 2,000 bags of groceries for children and families facing food insecurity across Raleigh.

Summer is often the most challenging season for families facing food insecurity. When schools close, many children lose reliable access to the free and reduced-price meals they depend on during the academic year. In North Carolina alone, nearly one million students receive meals through the National School Lunch Program, while the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) also serves as a critical safety net, with children representing approximately 39 percent of all recipients, according to Vontier.

Yet even with these programs, gaps persist. Convenience stores are often the closest food source for families in underserved areas, making the industry a natural partner to address food insecurity at the local level. Families who rely on school meals and SNAP benefits face heightened vulnerability during the summer months when meal access is disrupted, and household food budgets are stretched thin. Organizations like NACS’s Neighborhood Nourish and Convoy of Hope play a vital role in bridging that gap.

“This partnership underscores the fact that convenience stores are community stores and central to the wellbeing of towns, both large and small, across the United States,” said Kevin O’Connell, executive director of the NACS Foundation. “This is just one of nearly a dozen packing events Convoy of Hope is supporting, and one we hope to replicate many times over with like-minded organizations that are passionate about using our collective knowledge and power to do good.”

Each meal bag will include shelf-stable food items, including oatmeal packets, fruit cups, vegetables, protein, pasta meals, cereal and other nonperishables designed to provide balanced, practical nutrition for children and families. Additionally, Keurig Dr Pepper donated 2,000 units of Mott’s applesauce. Convoy of Hope will distribute the bags via local partners across the community.

“For many families, summer creates a critical gap in access to reliable meals when school programs pause,” said Mark Morelli, CEO of Vontier. “Convenience retailers are uniquely positioned to bridge that gap. They’re accessible, trusted and embedded in the community. Supporting the communities where our employees live and work is core to who we are at Vontier. We’re proud to work alongside the NACS Foundation’s Neighborhood Nourish and Convoy of Hope to combat food insecurity in our Raleigh community.”

"We are so thankful for the support and generosity of Vontier and the NACS Foundation for packing groceries that will impact children in the Raleigh, North Carolina area,” said Ron Showers, vice president of church engagement at Convoy of Hope. “Because of these organizations' generosity and commitment to their community, we were able to include this additional site in our Children's Summer Feeding Initiative and support kids who are facing hunger.”

Vontier said that this sponsorship is part of a larger $75,000 commitment from the company for 2026. It builds on Vontier's previous NACS Foundation contribution in October 2025 of a $50,000 donation supporting food recovery and redistribution efforts in the Chicago area.

With this latest contribution, Vontier will become one of the Foundation’s leading corporate partners and aims to continue expanding the relationship through ongoing community engagement and impact initiatives in Raleigh and beyond.