Cliff’s Local Market employees raised a total of $27,290 during its first-annual Autism Awareness Campaign for The Kelberman Center.

The Kelberman Center, an affiliate of Upstate Caring Partners Inc., provides state-of-the-art programs and services for children and adults with ASD and their families, with locations in both Utica and Syracuse, N.Y. Specialized staffing is highly trained to meet the needs of individuals with ASD and includes psychologists, social workers and educational and behavior specialists.

“We couldn’t be more grateful and proud of our store teams for truly embracing our campaign to support individuals with Autism. The success of a first-year campaign can prove challenging, but with the help of our generous patrons and support from The Kelberman Center, our teams far surpassed our initial goal.” said Jim Clifford, owner and president of Clifford Fuel Co Inc. and Cliff’s Local Market. “It’s local initiatives such as this, that really bring our communities together. We look forward to building a strong, long-lasting partnership with The Kelberman Center to show our support and appreciation for the amazing work they do for so many families right here in Central New York.”

Throughout the month of October, customers visiting any Cliff’s Local Market location were invited to purchase a paper puzzle piece to create additional awareness for autism and garner their support for the cause.

“We are overjoyed at the tremendous support we have received from Cliff’s Local Market and from our community,” said Tara Costello, Kelberman Center executive director. “We see this support as the start of a long-term commitment to helping children and adults with autism in our community. The funding that was raised is an extremely significant gift for our agency that will be felt throughout, ensuring that autism services for people and families who need them, especially during this difficult year and the year ahead, will continue.”

Cliff’s Local Market, locally owned and operated, is a chain of 19 convenience stores located throughout the Central New York Region. Cliff’s stores offer premium fuel brands, fresh locally roasted coffee, and a wide variety of made-to-order fresh food selections, such as pizzas, subs, salads, wraps and more. With nearly 60 years in business, the Clifford family has a long history of giving back to communities through supporting area charities, community-wide events, and local organizations.