Atlanta, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To support Florida residents impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene, RaceTrac has donated over $175,000 in aid and essential supplies to various charities across the state. This includes a $100,000 contribution to the Florida Disaster Fund, which is helping the hardest-hit communities recover by offering both immediate relief and long-term support through financial aid to local service organizations.
Additionally, RaceTrac partnered with the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs by donating $25,000 and bottled water. These clubs have been a critical resource, acting as shelters and aid distribution hubs for families displaced by the hurricanes, including many of the club’s own members.
Recognizing the devastating impact the hurricanes had on education schedules, RaceTrac also contributed $25,000 to both the Hillsborough Education Foundation and the Pinellas County Schools Education Foundation. Both organizations are working to raise funds for teachers and students who lost classroom supplies and experienced severe damage to their schools as a result of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Finally, to help address the urgent need for potable water, RaceTrac provided 20 pallets of bottled water to Feeding Tampa Bay Food Bank, which serves Tampa’s surrounding counties—areas where many residents remain without power or drinkable water.
“As we prepare to open our 250th location in Florida next month, we want the communities we serve to know that our six-decade-plus presence in Florida goes beyond providing the necessities for daily routines,” said Kelly Harrington, director of asset protection at RaceTrac. “As we work to care for our own team members in impacted areas, we must also fulfill our commitment to serving our neighbors in their time of need, including the brave first responders who risk their lives to help ensure our well-being and the utility crews working tirelessly to restore power to residents during this challenging time.”
RaceTrac offers free coffee and fountain drinks to first responders 24/7, 365 days a year. This token of appreciation has been extended to utility crews working to restore power to millions of homes and businesses across Florida during Hurricane Milton recovery. First responder and utility crew personnel simply need to be in uniform or show a work badge to the store associate at the register.
First responders and utility crews should also look for wayfinding signs at pump #1 in heavily affected areas. This fuel lane is reserved exclusively for marked first responder and utility vehicles in an effort to help these crews secure everything they need to refuel, recharge and return to their critical work.
“We encourage our fellow Floridians to observe patience and treat first responders and utility operators with kindness as they serve us all,” added Harrington. “Through our proprietary supply chain network, we are striving to be the last to close and first to open when it is safe for our employees and customers so that we can get these critical personnel and each of our neighbors home safely.”
Find up-to-date fuel availability and more information by visiting RaceTrac.com, and stay connected on social via Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About RaceTrac, Inc.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, family-owned RaceTrac is the 18th largest privately held company in the United States and has been serving guests since 1934. RaceTrac has more than 800 retail locations representing the RaceTrac® and RaceWay® brands in 13 states offering guests an affordable one-stop-shop featuring competitively priced fuel plus a wide selection of food and beverage favorites, including freshly brewed coffee. RaceTrac employs more than 10,500 team members across RaceTrac, RaceWay and affiliated companies Metroplex Energy, Energy Dispatch and Gulf Oil.
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