Cooking Classes Support Family Meals

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

Our Purpose and Commitment

OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

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Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

The grassroots partnership with food retailers is the reason why Common Threads is such an active partner in the FMI Foundation’s National Family Meals Month campaign to encourage families to eat one more meal together every week.

By: Tom Cosgrove, Manager, Program and Development, FMI Foundation <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/common-threads-blog-photod94a1c0324aa67249237ff0000c12749.tmb-large-350-.png?sfvrsn=9e07b6e_2" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Common Threads Blog Photo" title="Common Threads Blog Photo" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px;" />“I wish we had more Laura’s,” said Linda Novick O’Keefe, CEO of <a href="http://www.commonthreads.org/">Common Threads</a>, referring to Laura Karet. Laura Karet is President and CEO of Giant Eagle, a regional food, fuel and pharmacy retailer headquartered in Pittsburgh with stores throughout the Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. Common Threads is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of America’s children through cooking and nutrition education. Common Threads offers cooking classes for children and families along with educator training in nine cities - soon to expand to 14. Earlier this year, when the nonprofit opened up shop in Pittsburgh, Karet was instrumental in its success. The grassroots partnership with food retailers is the reason why Common Threads is such an active partner in the FMI Foundation’s <a href="http://www.fmifamilymeals.com/">National Family Meals Month</a> campaign to encourage families to eat one more meal together every week. Novick O’Keefe said, “A partner like FMI Foundation really helps us elevate the conversation around the importance of eating together as a family and how the dinner table anchors all of us.” Common Threads has a portfolio of evidence-based programs for schools and community-based organizations targeting children and families. Evaluations have shown that those who participate in Common Threads programs have increased vegetable consumption, nutrition knowledge, confidence in their cooking skills and more. Common Threads also offers family cooking classes where parents and children together learn how to make healthy meals at home on a budget, which compliments the National Family Meals Month mission of bringing families back to the dinner table. For 2017, Common Threads took their program to the next level by re-packaging their existing content <a href="http://www.commonthreads.org/familymealsmonth">on their website</a> around celebrating the importance of family meals. The tried and true cooking classes, handbook and nutrition education Common Threads is known for was given new life around the #FamilyMealsMonth discussion. At the heart of Common Threads’ mission, Novick O’Keefe said, is the food retailer. “It goes to our philosophy that it’s going to take a village to move the needle with regard to childhood obesity,” she said. “Food retailers play a really important role and have for a very long time. The grocery store is where people go, where they convene.” “The family meal is our mantra, the fabric of who we are.” You can get more information; downloadable for free at <a href="http://www.commonthreads.org/">www.commonthreads.org</a> and now is the time to start planning for <a href="http://www.fmifamilymeals.com/">National Family Meals Month 2018</a>! The FMI Foundation published a <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals/toolkits/best-practice-guide">Best Practices Guide</a> with ideas to get you started and we look forward to the continued success and support of National Family Meals Month in the future!

Read full article on FMI

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Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.