Tomorrow, July 24th, marks the 24/7 Day celebration, and the U.S. convenience store industry will celebrate local heroes and all they do for others in times of need. Hosted by the NACS Foundation, 24/7 Day honors and gives back to first responders, policemen, firefighters, EMTs, doctors, nurses, health practitioners, medical personnel, 911 professionals, and Red Cross volunteers—all who work around the clock to make sure people don’t face emergencies scared and alone.
This year’s 24/7 day celebration is themed as “Here for Heroes, Here for You“, salutes these heroes with an offer of a token of gratitude from one of their biggest supporters, the convenience store industry. Across the country, more than 60 retailers and suppliers that have an estimated 30,000 stores will have a unique offer (free coffee, free meals, or even branded merchandise) that first responders can get when they wear their uniform or show a badge. The event also aims to raise awareness and donations for the American Red Cross.
To add more importance to the event, Stephanie Sikorski, the Executive Director of the NACS Foundation, has emphasized that “The 24/7 Day celebration was born from the realization that there is a deep connection between first responders and the convenience store community. Our mutual workforce provides essential services in times of great need while also acting as a reliable and safe hub for connection and socialization,”
Participating Convenience Stores
Without a doubt, convenience stores are also an integral part of everyday life across the country. With more than 152,000 convenience stores across the country, there are an estimated 160 million transactions conducted per day.
This year, more than 30,000 convenience stores are expected to participate in the 24/7 Day celebration including: 1-Stop, Admiral, Allsup’s and Yesway, Apple Market, BreadBox, Casey’s, Certified Oil, CFCA, Cubby’s, Cumberland Farms, Delek, Enmarket, Estepp’s, Express Stop, E-Z Mart, fas mart, fastmarket, Fastrac, FavTrip, Flash Market, Garrett’s Family Market and Rapid Refill Convenience Stores, Handy Mart, High’s, Hop Shops, Huck’s, Hutch’s, Ideal Market, Jiffi Stop, Jiffy Stop Food Marts, KwikShop, Loaf ‘N Jug, Li’l Cricket, Loop Neighborhood Markets, Minit Mart, Next Door Store, OnCue, On the Run, Onvo, Pak-A-Sak, Poppy Market, Pride, Quarles, QuickStop Markets, R Store, RaceTrac, Roadrunner Markets, Rutter’s, Scotchman, Sheetz, Shop A Lott, shore stop, Sprint Food Stores, Sprint Mart, St. Romain Oil Co./Y-Not Stop, The Convenience Group, The Hub Convenience Stores, The Markets of Tiger Fuel Company, Tom Thumb, Town Star, TXB, Turkey Hill Minit Markets, U-Stop Convenience Shops, UNCLE’s, Village Pantry, Young’s, and Wawa and The Wawa Foundation.
This year, supplier partners, including Keurig Dr Pepper, NENA: The 9-1-1 Association, and GSTV, are also supporting the effort through various efforts and offers.
What’s In Store for First Responders?
Participating retailers each support 24/7 Day in their own ways. Some are offering free coffee, fountain, and frozen drinks, and others are offering free meals and merchandise. To claim these free items, first responders only need to arrive in uniform or with a badge.
Other notable convenience stores like Wawa are celebrating their partnership with the American Red Cross by mailing 15,000 free hot beverage coupons to volunteers, thanking them for their services, and also maximizing the day to announce in-store customer fundraising results that support disaster relief efforts.
Plus, in addition to visiting a convenience store on 24/7 Day, the NACS Foundation also encourages participation from the public by:
- Directly donate to the American Red Cross to support the work they do in communities
- Use the hashtag #247Day in social media to show how you support your hometown heroes
- Share appreciation stories for first responders, medical personnel, 9-1-1 professionals, Red Cross volunteers, and other local heroes in their community on social media and tag #247Day
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From The Club
If anyone deserves treats and freebies from retail stores, it’s the first responders. They tirelessly commit to saving people, and sometimes, their lives are even put on the line. As little as it may seem, tomorrow’s our turn to give thanks and show our support to them; even just for a day, they deserve to be appreciated and given a free treat. Kudos to all first responders and to all the help and sacrifice they’re giving to the community. And even though 24/7 day may pass, I hope we’ll all show our appreciation and support to all local heroes; they’re always ready to give assistance, and we should, too.
