Parker’s recently made a $1 million donation to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, a nonprofit organization based in Savannah, Ga. The organization serves as a food safety net for tens of thousands of individuals who are at risk for hunger across a 21-county area.
On Sept. 27, Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker presented the $1 million check to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia executive director Mary Jane Crouch at a special media event and hard hat tour of the nonprofit’s new 143,000-square-foot facility, which is currently under construction on a 20-acre site in Savannah. Parker made the donation in honor of Hunger Action Month in September, expanding the company’s commitment to provide two million meals to hungry children in 2023.
“America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia serves as a vital food safety net for so many children, seniors and families who are experiencing food insecurity throughout the region,” Parker said during the check presentation ceremony. “At Parker’s Kitchen, we want to be a force for positive change in our community. We hope this $1 million donation will help America’s Second Harvest feed even more children and more families in the future.”
The new America’s Second Harvest facility will double the existing warehouse, office, volunteer center and commercial kitchen space. A state-of-the-art warehouse will include 10 tractor-trailer docks and additional bays for Kids Cafe trucks and agency pickups. The new facility is expected to be operational by January 2024.
“We are incredibly grateful to Parker’s Kitchen for this generous donation, which will be critical to our success at our new location on Chatham Parkway,” said Crouch. “This new facility has been designed to meet the needs of our organization and the children, seniors, families and individuals facing food insecurity in the 21 counties that we serve.”
The new America’s Second Harvest food bank will include a 98,108-square-foot warehouse, a 18,425-square-foot volunteer center and agency marketplace, a 13,480-square-foot Kids Cafe commercial kitchen and expanded office and training space that will allow the America’s Second Harvest to provide even more support to neighbors in need. The organization is completing a two-year capital campaign made possible in part by a grant allocation by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as well as many generous donors, corporations, foundations and grants.
The Parker’s Kitchen donation will be made through customer round-up campaign contributions over the next five years as well as a Parker’s Kitchen match designed to maximize the campaign’s impact. Since Parker’s Kitchen launched its inaugural round-up campaign in May 2022, the company has raised nearly $500,000 to fight hunger in Georgia and South Carolina.
Established in 1981, America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia is a volunteer-driven nonprofit food bank and community partner. The organization is leading the effort to end hunger and improve lives in 21 counties through meaningful programs, including Brown Bag for the Elderly, Kids Cafe, Partner Market Place and the Mobile Food Pantry. Last year, Second Harvest’s food bank provided 22.8 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 19 million meals, to hungry people throughout coastal Georgia.
Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has enjoyed 20-24% 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 CStore Decisions.