TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2022 – Making wishes come true. Making communities stronger. That’s the over-arching goal of the Convenience Industry Council of Canada’s (CICC) National Convenience Week August 29-September 2.
This year more than 3,100 member retailers will be participating across Canada by inviting local leaders to visit their corner store, while raising funds for Make-A-Wish Canada.
The week-long event features community leaders and elected officials dropping by their local convenience store to say thanks to the industry’s frontline workers, interact with customers and support their local community store fundraiser.
“National Convenience Week embodies what our industry is about: supporting communities. Despite the serious challenges that our members faced during the pandemic, one constant remained, their desire to make a difference in their neighbourhoods” explains Anne Kothawala, CICC President & CEO. “This is a cross-country effort, convening Canadians, community leaders, and our industry’s owners and employers around a common goal: raising funds for children who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and helping grant their wishes.”
Over the past seven years, convenience store retailers have raised more than $700,000 for the charity through National Convenience Week.
The ongoing partnership between CICC and Make-A-Wish Canada is essential to making wishes come true and making communities stronger.
“The local corner store is essential to communities and families. Make-a-Wish is essential for providing hope to children, which makes our collaboration so impactful. With a vast footprint across the country, we are uniquely positioned in communities to rally local support for children and families in-need,” Kothawala adds. “Our partnership with Make-a-Wish helps grant deserving, life-changing wishes to critically-ill children and is a testament to the important role our industry plays in helping families and communities grow stronger, together.” Meaghan Stovel McKnight, Chief Executive Officer, Make-A Wish-Canada, is thankful for the fundraising support.
“Make-A-Wish is incredibly proud of our important partnership with CICC. This is significant backing from an essential industry in Canada, and right now, we are in critical need of support to help us grant all the wishes we have waiting,” she says. “We know that with the support of amazing national partners like CICC, we can continue to restore hope to children facing critical illness. We are so grateful for the CICC and their heartfelt commitment and investment to our cause.”
To participate in this year’s event, visit your local participating convenience store or donate online at makeawish.ca/ncw2022.
For a full list of community leader and retail participants, visit convenienceweek.ca. Guests can also share how they are supporting the annual campaign by using the hashtag #nationalconvenienceweek on social media.
ABOUT THE CONVENIENCE INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF CANADA (CICC)
The Convenience Industry Council of Canada (CICC) is a national, not-for-profit council represents more than 25,000 convenience retailers nationwide. Our sector employs more than 212,000 Canadians and generates an estimated $55 billion in economic impact from coast to coast to coast. Convenient in good times and essential in tough times.