Annual campaign raises nearly $153k for charity benefitting truckers

A charity dedicated to helping over-the-road truckers and their families is getting a financial boost thanks to a major truck stop chain.

On Monday, Oct. 2, TravelCenters of America announced that its annual round-up campaign had raised nearly $153,000 to benefit the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund.

During the yearly event – which runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day – customers at participating TA, Petro and TA Express locations have the chance to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar. All of the funds raised are donated directly to SCF to support professional drivers who are out of work due to an injury or illness.

The Westlake, Ohio-based chain of travel stops reports to have raised over $3 million for SCF through various campaigns and initiatives since 2010. Debi Boffa, CEO of TA, said the partnership between her company and SCF is a natural fit.

“The work of St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund aligns with our mission to return every traveler to the road better than they came, and we are committed to helping ensure professional drivers have access to critical resources during times of need,” Boffa said in a statement. “We thank our guests for their incredible generosity and supporting the heroic men and women who sacrifice so much to keep our economy moving.”

Founded in 2007, the mission of SCF is to provide assistance to over-the-road semitruck drivers and their families when an illness or injury, occurring within the last year, has caused them to be out of work.

That assistance comes in a variety of ways, including direct payments to providers for household living expenses such as rent or mortgage, utilities, vehicle payments and insurance.

“When truck drivers are out of work with an illness or injury, it is so important for them to have some peace of mind about how to pay their household bills,” Donna Kennedy, executive director of SCF, said in a statement. She added that the campaign “is critical to helping ensure drivers everywhere have access to the financial stability needed to heal and return better than ever.”

In addition to financial assistance, the St. Christopher Fund also provides health and wellness programs designed with truckers in mind. The group’s Rigs without Cigs program helps drivers become tobacco-free and offers tips and weekly support to stay that way. Furthermore, through its Driving Down Diabetes initiative, the charity aims to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes among truckers. LL