Community Outreach Awards: Making A Difference in Communities

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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Join a Community that Champions, Connects, and Elevates!

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.

It’s that time of year again when we like to recognize food retailers as the driving force behind these community and charitable events. Food retailers submit their best practice examples of programs designed to educate and mentor youth; impact the overall health or engagement of a community; or bring a meal to those in underserved areas.

<img sfref="[images%7COpenAccessDataProvider]1b251b03-24aa-6724-9237-ff0000c12749" sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/homepage-curation-tiles/community-outreach-awards_medium.jpg?sfvrsn=c08f7c6e_0" style="float:right;" sf-constrain-proportions="true" width="350" alt="Community Outreach Awards" class="-align-right" sf-size="218290" />By: <g class="gr_ gr_30 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="30" data-gr-id="30">Melaina</g> Lewis, Manager, Communications, Food Marketing InstituteI’ve spent a great deal of time volunteering in my community and neighboring towns this year. It’s rewarding to make a difference in the place you call home; the more you volunteer the more you find yourself aware of differences others are making too. As neighborhood cornerstones throughout America, grocers host food drives, after-school programs, health and wellbeing initiatives, and other charitable events - all in the spirit of improving their communities.It’s that time of year again when we like to recognize food retailers as the driving force behind these community and charitable events. Food retailers submit their best practice examples of programs designed to educate and mentor youth; impact the overall health or engagement of a <g class="gr_ gr_38 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear Punctuation multiReplace" id="38" data-gr-id="38">community;</g> or bring a meal to those in underserved areas. To inspire your 2018 nominations, here are a few examples from the 2017 Community Outreach Award Winners:<a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view" sfref="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]00B61403-24AA-6724-9237-FF0000C12749">Skogen's Festival Foods Turkey Trot</a>Festival Foods employees contribute in excess of 200 hours to plan and execute the Turkey Trot. In 2016, the event was held in 10 locations and had a total of 31,000 registrants, an increase of 16.32 percent from 2015. The event raised $360,000, and over the span of its nine years, fundraising has totaled $1,930,000.<a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view" sfref="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]00B61403-24AA-6724-9237-FF0000C12749">Hy-Vee, Inc. Hurricane Relief </a>Hy-Vee matched customer and partner donations up to $100,000 to assist in the Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria relief efforts and partnered with the American Red Cross to distribute funds, which totaled $670,468,26, to hurricane victims. Hy-Vee also donated 5 semi-trailers of bottled water, totaling 187,872 bottles, for victims of Hurricane Harvey, driven to Texas by Hy-Vee drivers.<a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view" sfref="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]00B61403-24AA-6724-9237-FF0000C12749">Family Fare's Culinary Discovery Camps and Restaurant Camps</a>Family Fare, a SpartanNash company, helps students understand food from farm to table while fine-tuning cooking skills including using a knife, stove and finally serving the prepared meal. SpartanNash donated $5,000 to the Institute of the Culinary Arts to reduce the cost for kids to attend.<a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view" sfref="[f669d9a7-009d-4d83-ddaa-000000000002]00B61403-24AA-6724-9237-FF0000C12749">Smart & Final's Grab and Go Food Drives</a>During the 2016 holiday season, Smart & Final ran more than 30 Grab & Go programs--inviting customers to donate at checkout and store associates to deliver food. In total, 16,904 Grab & Go bags were donated to 22 food banks and nonprofit organizations, 38,684 pounds of food was donated through customer donations, and 8,000 pounds of food was donated by Smart & Final.   How has your store benefited your local community? Tell us by submitting your story for the 2018 Community Outreach Awards at <a href="file:///C:/Users/dgf/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/GUA6WY6G/FMI.org/CommunityOutreach">FMI.org/CommunityOutreach</a>, and read more examples of best practices <a href="http://www.fmi.org/bestpractice">here</a>. The nomination deadline has been extended to October 17, 2018.

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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.