Celebrating Grocers Doing Good with the 2018 Community Outreach Awards

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

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

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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.

This year, grocers across the country stepped-up their various acts of generosity with personalized programs and initiatives to truly impact and benefit the communities they serve each day. Here are the 2018 Community Outreach Award Winners

<p>By: David Fikes, Vice President, Community/Consumer Affairs and Communications, Food Marketing Institute </p> <p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/untitled-design-6bbe0290324aa67249237ff0000c12749.tmb-large-350-.png?sfvrsn=754a4e6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="2018 COA Winners" title="2018 COA Winners" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px;" />Community service is such an expected part of the food retailer profile. It is easy to take their neighbor commitment for granted, but each year, the Food Marketing Institute seeks to recognize the oft-overlooked, but numerous unmentioned contributions and gestures of goodwill that grocers make to enhance the communities they serve.</p> <p>Food retailers do much more than simply feed families through the food they sell to their customers. Retailers large and small-urban, suburban or rural enrich the lives of their shoppers through thoughtful community programs that often are iconic expressions of the spirit of that particular neighborhood.</p> <p>This year, grocers across the country stepped-up their various acts of generosity with personalized programs and initiatives to truly impact and benefit the communities they serve each day. Here are the 2018 Community Outreach Award Winners: </p> <h4>Youth Development Program Award Winner</h4> <br /> Apples for the Students<br /> Greer's<br /> <p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view/apples-for-the-students-"><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/community-outreach-page-images/apples-for-the-students-_greersaftsfmiaward.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=4a764e6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="apples-for-the-students-_greers" title="apples-for-the-students-_greersaftsfmiaward" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;" />Apples for the Students </a>provides educational supplies (from pencils to printers) to schools at no cost to them. Since its inception by Greer’s, 52 schools that have received free educational equipment because of Greer's. Greer's donated $60,500 towards school supplies/equipment in 2018 alone. </p> <p> </p> <h4>Neighborhood Health Improvement Award Winner</h4> <br /> Eating Healthy With Diabetes<br /> Albertsons Companies<br /> <p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view/eating-healthy-with-diabetes"><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/community-outreach-page-images/eating-healthy-with-diabetes_2018--piccarsongroup.tmb-medium.png?sfvrsn=f2764e6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="eating-healthy-with-diabetes" title="eating-healthy-with-diabetes_2018--piccarsongroup" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;" />Eating Healthy With Diabetes</a> is a grocery store tour offered at no cost and led by a locally registered dietitian and an in-store pharmacist. The program is on-track to conduct over 300 tours, with an average tour size of 8-10 individuals. Many Albertsons dietitians partnered with government programs and community groups on the tours.</p> <h4>Program Addressing Hunger Winner</h4> <br /> Hy-Vee Food and Beverage Distribution in Wake of 2018 Tornadoes<br /> Hy-Vee, Inc.<br /> <p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/community-outreach-page-images/hy-vee-food-and-beverage-distribution-in-wake-of-2018-tornadoes-_img_1629.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=bc764e6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="hy-vee-food-and-beverage-distribution-in-wake-of-2018-tornadoes" title="hy-vee-food-and-beverage-distribution-in-wake-of-2018-tornadoes-_img_1629" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;" />In response to major tornado damage across several Iowa communities on July 19, 2018, <a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view/hy-vee-food-and-beverage-distribution-in-wake-of-2018-tornadoes-">Hy-Vee donated meals, snacks and beverages</a> to impacted residents and emergency workers. From Hy-Vee’s efforts, more than 20,000 individuals benefitted from food assistance and Hy-Vee distributed 111,000 bottles of water across various communities. The total value of donations provided by Hy-Vee equated to approximately $200,000.</p> <h4>“People’s Pick” Social Media Award Winner</h4> <br /> Hospitality House Culinary Program<br /> BriarPatch Food Co-op<br /> <br /> <p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/community-outreach-page-images/hospitality-house-culinary-program-_hospitality-house_culinary-program-use.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=1f764e6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="hospitality-house-culinary-program" title="hospitality-house-culinary-program-_hospitality-house_culinary-program-use" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;" />Hospitality House is a community effort to help homeless Nevada County residents get back on their feet. <a href="https://www.fmi.org/get-involved/community-outreach/nominee/view/hospitality-house-culinary-program-">BriarPatch Food Co-Op </a>offered to fund their culinary job-training dinners by providing farm-fresh ingredients for meals that culinary students create for shelter guests. Students make dinner for the 54 men, women and children staying at the shelter, and they learn to consider costs while planning a balanced, nutritious meal.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FoodMarketingInstitute/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARAZnPH4bajyEcbl7JvqlP_MqVWb4AUz6Cr2-FxI4ZWKYUkeFMAedoxW5iaeO-l_nXRsiJ7ziRIdkQ59&hc_ref=ARTL8JnT4Haf3Q9_k5zk2eUAP6_KbONVteAIuTo8Vs_2CdSsjFafVVXRS6yA84Zpixw">Watch the Facebook Live Announcement here. </a></p>

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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.