SAVANNAH, Ga. (July 24, 2023) – As part of an ongoing commitment to give back to the community and to be a force for positive change, Parker’s Kitchen recently raised $241,523 to support America’s Second Harvest in Georgia and Lowcountry Food Bank in South Carolina through a round-up campaign. The latest round-up campaign focused on food insecurity and launched in December 2022, with Parker’s Kitchen matching 25% of customer donations through the Parker’s Community Fund.
Since Parker’s Kitchen launched its round-up campaign in May 2022, the company has raised more than $413,000 to fight hunger in Georgia and South Carolina. According to Feeding America, one in eight children face hunger in each state.
“We know that hunger is a major issue in our community and appreciate our customers rounding up their transactions to the nearest dollar to help make positive change across the region,” said Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker. “At Parker’s Kitchen, we think it’s extremely important to give back to the community and to support local nonprofit organizations and causes that matter most to our customers. Our goal is to provide two million meals to feed hungry children this year.”
Round-up donations benefit a rotating series of nonprofit organizations through the Parker’s Community Fund, which supports area 501(c)3 organizations dedicated to making a positive, measurable impact in key focus areas, including education, healthcare and food insecurity. Customers can choose to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar at any Parker’s and Parker’s Kitchen retail store across Georgia or South Carolina.
Starting in July, round-up campaign proceeds in Georgia and South Carolina will be donated to Union Mission, a local nonprofit dedicated to providing comprehensive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Parker’s will continue to match 25% of each customer donation.
“We’re incredibly honored to support the outstanding work that Union Mission does to provide emergency housing, counseling support and wrap-around services to help individuals and families get back on their feet,” said Parker. “We hope to reduce homelessness through our latest round-up campaign and sincerely appreciate the generosity of our customers.”
Known for its longstanding commitment to charitable giving, Parker’s Kitchen is one of the most generous companies in the convenience store industry and in the Southeast. The Parker’s Community Fund was created in 2021 by a major donation from Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker and Parker’s Kitchen.
In recent years, Parker’s made a landmark $5 million donation to provide healthcare to uninsured and underinsured patients at Roper/St. Francis Healthcare in Charleston, S.C.; endowed the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Ga.; and made a record $5 million donation to name the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University, supporting the next generation of business leaders in Georgia. The Parker’s Community Fund also provided critical funding for Union Mission to open the Parker House for Women in Savannah, Ga., the region’s first facility for unaccompanied homeless women.
In addition, the company’s acclaimed Fueling the Community charitable giving initiative donates a percentage of gas sold at all Parker’s and Parker’s Kitchen locations on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools. To date, the Fueling the Community program has donated nearly $1.8 million to schools across Georgia and South Carolina.
Parker’s Kitchen stands apart as one of America’s most respected convenience store brands and is known for having the cleanest stores in the industry. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has enjoyed steady 20 to 24 percent annual growth every year for the past 25 years and has been featured six times on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The company also offers an acclaimed Parker’s Rewards program, which saves customers time and money at the pump as well as in the store.
In 2020, Parker’s was named the Convenience Store Chain of the Year by Convenience Store Decisions, which is the industry’s highest honor. The company has been honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores and by Convenience Store News as the Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year.
Since its founding in 1976, Parker’s Kitchen has grown to become an award-winning company that has been voted one of America’s top 10 gas station brands by USA TODAY readers. The Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date. Parker’s employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout South Carolina and Georgia and completes more than 120,000 transactions daily.
For more information about the Parker’s Round-up Campaign and the company’s commitment to charitable giving, visit parkerskitchen.com.
ABOUT PARKER’S:
Honored as the 2020 Convenience Store Decisions Chain of the Year, Parker’s is strategically redefining the nation’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and foodservice companies. Parker’s Kitchen, the popular food-centric brand under the Parker’s umbrella, serves world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders as well as made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $15 million to date. Learn more: parkerskitchen.com.
RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
● Inc. 5000 List – Fastest Growing Companies in America – Inc. Magazine
● Hall of Fame Inductee – Convenience Store News
● Best Gas Station Brand Top 10 – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards
● Convenience Store Chain of the Year – Convenience Store Decisions
● Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award
● Legacy Leader – Georgia Trend
● America’s Best Convenience Stores – Food and Wine
● Southeast Retailer of the Year – The Shelby Report
● Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year – Convenience Store News
● Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
● 50 Most Influential People in Convenience Store History – Convenience Store News
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Savannah Magazine Best of Savannah Awards
● Best Convenience Market/Gas Station – Connect Savannah Best of Savannah Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald “Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
● Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
● Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
● Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
● Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
● Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
● Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
ABOUT UNION MISSION:
Union Mission has cared for Savannah, Ga.’s homeless community for 85 years, offering emergency, transitional and permanent housing solutions to those in need. Union Mission also provides mental health counseling, food, clothing, transportation and job placements as part of its comprehensive wrap-around supportive services available to all homeless people in the community. Learn more: unionmission.org.
ABOUT LOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK:
The Lowcountry Food Bank serves more than 200,000 people experiencing food insecurity annually through strong relationships with 230+ partner agencies – a network of food pantries, on-site meal programs, school programs, senior programs, veterans’ groups and shelters. The nonprofit organization’s dedicated staff works to equitably distribute food across 10 coastal counties of South Carolina, from Charleston to Myrtle Beach, providing partners with fresh fruits and vegetables, shelf-stable food, equipment, nutrition materials and food safety training. Learn more: lowcountryfoodbank.org.
ABOUT AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST OF COASTAL GEORGIA, INC.:
America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia serves as a regional food bank, functioning as the food warehouse and distribution center to more than 245 non-profit organizations and churches. Through food relief programs and collaboration with partner agencies, America’s Second Harvest distributed more than 25.5 million pounds of food last year to people in need, including children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness and others whose income is insufficient to meet their basic needs. Learn more: helpendhunger.org.
