Members of the American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association (APCA) delivered masks, food and donations to frontline workers, nonprofit staff and volunteers across California in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The industry group found that, besides health care workers, police officers and food bank staffers were in desperate need of gear to help prevent transmission of the virus.
“During our conversations with these organizations, we heard supplies of masks were extremely low or nonexistent. We recognized that we were in a unique position to identify alternative sources for some of these supplies, and we got to work,” said Jivtesh Gill, chairman, APCA. “Deemed ‘essential businesses’ by the Department of Homeland Security, our members’ 1,400 convenience stores and gas stations have remained open, and they’ve maintained access to suppliers. Despite catastrophically low fuel sales and an inside sales decline, our members displayed their resilience and desire for community wellbeing and were able to distribute much-needed supplies to meet critical needs.”
The organization distributed 12,000 masks to the Catholic Charities Family Support Center in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Solano County Emergency Services, Sacramento Police Department, Tri-City Food Pantry and Thrift Store in Fremont, Second Harvest Silicon Valley, and the Modesto Police Department.
Additionally, members of the association collected funds to donate $12,500 to the Central California Food Bank in Fresno, $5,000 to the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, $5,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank serving San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, and $1,000 to the Twin Lakes Food Bank in Folsom.
Every day, 165 million people visit their favorite neighborhood market. This activity results in sales that allow the average store to collect $1.28 million in taxes for local, state and federal governments every year.
“The COVID-19 crisis is unparalleled, but just like during the Camp Fire in 2018 and the Valley Fire in 2015, APCA members and our employees remain committed to serving our customers and our communities,” said Gill.