Corporations and communities raise millions to fight cancer

Pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars. What may seem like spare change to some is adding up to lifesaving change for many. MD Anderson’s Corporate and Community Alliances team partners closely with companies across the nation to inspire and engage consumers and employees in Making Cancer History®. The institution has partnered with nearly a dozen companies to raise more than $8 million in recent months. To date, corporate campaigns have raised almost $25 million for cancer patient programs, research, education and prevention efforts at MD Anderson.

H-E-B

With more than 370 stores throughout Texas and northeast Mexico, H-E-B Grocery Stores has supported MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer since 2016. H-E-B has organized an End Cancer campaign through at-register displays in more than 300 communities. Shoppers have the opportunity to donate $1, $3 or $5 for cancer research, with 100% of donations benefiting MD Anderson’s cancer research and patient programs.

From Aug. 14 to Sept. 10, 2019, H-E-B customers raised $200,000, bringing the campaign’s total to more than $1 million.

IBC Bank

Headquartered in Laredo with more than 180 branches serving Texas and Oklahoma, IBC Bank is a longtime corporate supporter of MD Anderson.

IBC Bank encourages customers, employees and the communities it serves to support the cause by making a donation at any IBC Bank or online. Several markets hosted community fundraising events such as golf tournaments, skeet shoots, yard sales and fashion shows, with IBC Bank matching every dollar raised. Its latest campaign, through the spring and summer of 2019, raised nearly $2.3 million, bringing total fundraising to more than $4.6 million for cancer research and patient programs at MD Anderson.

Stripes® Convenience Stores

Fall 2019 marked the fifth year of Stripes® Stores’ annual “Stripes Stores Celebrates Tomorrows” campaign. The fundraising campaign commemorates Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month and supports patient programs at MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. Stripes customers had the opportunity to donate by purchasing $1 Stripes Celebrates Tomorrows paper pin-ups while checking out at participating stores.

Stripes donated more than $720,000 to MD Anderson following the most recent fall campaign, bringing total fundraising to more than $5.5 million.

Walmart 

The largest retail corporation in the world also is working to raise millions in the fight to end cancer. Since 2017, Walmart has initiated in-store fundraising in support of MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer®, raising more than $1 million this fiscal year, often pennies at a time.

From collecting change at every register in a signature boot, to hosting in-store bake sales for employees, to organizing fun activities to encourage customers to donate in stores, Walmart’s campaign for MD Anderson is its second largest in total dollars raised for a nonprofit. Walmart has contributed nearly $2.3 million to MD Anderson.

Energy Transfer and Sunoco 

Longtime corporate supporters, Energy Transfer and Sunoco donated more than $2 million to the pediatric hospital in 2019. The contribution represented a combination of employee giving, a monthlong in-store fundraising effort by Cal’s Convenience Inc., and executive and foundation matching.

Since 2014, Energy Transfer and Sunoco have contributed more than $6.5 million to MD Anderson.

Kendra Scott 

For the past six years, Kendra Scott has supported MD Anderson through the Kendra Cares Program. Patients and families at MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital are regularly treated to the brand’s Color Bar™ experience, where they can create their own pieces of jewelry at no cost.

In 2018, Kendra Scott launched a charms collection including a Texas state charm that benefits the hospital’s pediatric support programs. This led to an opportunity to fund MD Anderson’s first Adolescent and Young Adult Wellness Weekend, a retreat for young adult cancer survivors, in 2019.

To date, Kendra Scott has raised more than $239,000 for pediatric cancer research and support programs at MD Anderson.

Pappas Restaurants

Since 2015, Pappas Restaurants has supported MD Anderson through its End Cancer campaign. Customers have the option to donate $1 or more and receive a collector’s cup featuring artwork from MD Anderson’s Children’s Art Project. Pappas Steakhouse offers a promotion to support the campaign by donating a portion of sales from a specialty dessert.

This year, Pappas Restaurants raised $170,000 through customer donations and its restaurant matching funds. The campaign has raised a total of more than $800,000.

Torchy’s Tacos

Torchy’s Tacos regularly donates a portion of sales from its Taco of the Month to MD Anderson. In the past year, Torchy’s raised more than $110,000 for MD Anderson’s Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research in Bastrop.

Torchy’s has increased its fundraising every year since 2014 and is exploring new opportunities to engage and collaborate with MD Anderson in the local community.