CITGO Petroleum and PS Food Mart Unite Community in the Fight Against Hunger

HOMER, Mich., Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-nine PS Food Mart stores across South Central Michigan and Toledo, Ohio rallied their employees, customers and neighbors to support families in need this holiday season through the second annual Pop-Tarts'® fundraising campaign. Led by the Cooper Street PS Food Mart CITGO in Jackson, Mich., the PopTarts fundraiser achieved record-breaking donations this year, with more than 38,000 Kellogg's PopTarts donated to local food pantries, afterschool programs and churches.

"We're humbled by the generosity of our customers and by the enthusiasm each one of our PS Food Mart employees put forth to help fight hunger here in our community," said Ed Heath, Vice President of Operations with PS Food Mart. "As we enter the holiday season, it's important to support our local food banks and help stock their shelves with nutritious food for those in need. With the generosity of the PS Food Mart employees and patrons, the charities will be better able to sustain the needs of the less fortunate here in our hometown."

During the month-long campaign, PS Food Mart employees encouraged customers to purchase PopTarts for $1 and donate them to a local charity chosen by the store managers. The participating PS Food Marts beat last year's record by more than 10,375 PopTarts. The PopTarts were welcomed by the 29 charity recipients, which included the Williamston Food Bank, Trinity Lutheran Child Care, Toledo Food Bank & Church, YWCA, and Marshall Elementary Shamrock Center.

"We are confident the enthusiasm and support of this campaign will continue throughout the year as we help more families in need across the region," Heath added. "PS Food Mart Stores have a wonderful history of charitable giving, raising money for many local and national organizations through PS Food Mart Charities. Our President and CEO, Dick Folk, encourages community outreach programs and this is becoming one of our best."

PS Food Mart Charities is supported in its efforts by CITGO Petroleum which participates in a wide variety of local charity and community programs. For more information about PS Food Mart and Folk Oil programs that support the local community and to find the closest PS Food Mart Store near you, visit www.PSFoodMart.com.

Pop-Tarts is a registered trademark of Kellogg North America Company.

CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, please visit www.CITGO.com.

SOURCE CITGO Petroleum