ALTOONA, Pa., 2017-Jul-04 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the past 25 years Sheetz For The Kidz (SFTK) has set out to provide support, hope, joy and happiness to children within the communities in which Sheetz operates. SFTK is an employee driven 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that raises funds to support the Sheetz For The Kidz Holiday Program and Make-A-Wish.
The Sheetz For The Kidz Holiday Program provides children in need the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with new toys, clothes and other basic needs. The program works with The Salvation Army to identify families and collect their holiday wish lists. Sheetz employees from every Sheetz operating area shop, wrap and host parties for all the participating children. More than $1.4 million was distributed last year, making the holiday season brighter for more than 8,800 children in six states, amounting to 16 children from each Sheetz store location.
This will also mark the 12th year of SFTK partnering with Make-A-Wish to sponsor families of seriously ill children so they can experience a weeklong dream vacation in Orlando, Florida. Fifty-four families will enjoy a cost-free vacation at Give Kids the World Village, an 84-acre, non-profit “storybook” resort designed to provide accommodations for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families while experiencing the Disney vacation of their dreams.
In July, Sheetz customers can support SFTK through in-store fundraising. One hundred percent of customer donations go directly to supporting the children in our communities. In addition, throughout the year, customers can support local kids in their community through online donations and Amazon Smile.
Ways to support SFTK in July:
- Donate at check out.
- Purchase a Sheetz For The Kidz water, with 25 cents from each bottle supporting the charity.
- Buy any Coca-Cola® 20 oz. bottle of carbonated soft drink between July 1 and July 31 and Coca-Cola will donate 5 cents to support SFTK.
- Shop on AmazonSmile and select “Sheetz For The Kidz” as the charity of your choice and Amazon will donate .5% of your purchases to the charity.
- Go to www.sheetzforthekidz.org to donate online today.
A main fundraising event for the organization continues to be the annual SheetzFor the Kidz Golf Classic, which celebrated its 19th year in May at the Pinehurst Resort. This year, the event raised more than $700,000 for SFTK.
“Sheetz For The Kidz has been successful over the past 25 years due to the support of customers who donate funds at Sheetz locations, and business partners that have supported our annual golf tournament and other events throughout the year,” said Sheetz For The Kidz Executive Director Sarah Piper. “We are also so grateful for the work of Sheetz employees, who have devoted their time and efforts to bettering the lives of children in their communities.”
About Sheetz For The Kidz
Sheetz For The Kidz is a non-profit organization, designated as a 501(c) (3) charity, independent of the Sheetz Corporation. The organization was created in 1992 by local store employees wanting to help local children. The mission of the charity is to provide support, hope, joy and happiness to children in need within the communities in which Sheetz operates. To date, the charity has raised more than $22.9 million and helped more than 100,000 children!
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need, in His name, without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Approximately 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter for the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar we spend supports those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to salvationarmyusa.org, or follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS.
About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish come true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 33,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 34 minutes. It has granted more than 285,000 wishes since its inception in 1980—more than 15,300 in 2016 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.
For further information:
Nick Ruffner
814.941.5183
nruffner@sheetz.com
SOURCE: Sheetz, Inc.