Marathon Petroleum Corporation's (MPC) Community Investment mission is to strengthen communities and help make people’s lives better. Our employees make a positive impact around the country year-round and especially during the holidays. Read some of the ways we helped spread a little holiday spirit to those in need.

Anacortes, Washington

The Anacortes refinery hosted its annual holiday drive for the Skagit Valley Herald Christmas Fund. They collected four truckloads of toys and $16,000 in monetary donations from employees and contractors. Organizers estimate that 3,000 children will benefit from the Christmas Fund this year.

Canton, Ohio

After hosting a food drive in November to benefit Feed Kids First, a local nonprofit fighting hunger, employees from the Canton refinery helped the organization package and deliver meal boxes to students at two area schools so they have food to eat at home over the winter break.

The Canton terminal partnered with Wyoming Casing and Robert Miner Trucking to donate and deliver more than 150 gifts to two families in need via Community Christmas of Stark County. Through their efforts, a couple with two emergency foster children and a single mother of four children received all their clothing, food and toy needs this holiday season. 

Catlettsburg, Kentucky

Employees from the Catlettsburg refinery’s security department spearheaded their annual gift collection for Catlettsburg Elementary Family Resource Center. This year employees and contractors sponsored 23 families and 45 children.

The engineering department at the refinery led the annual bell ringing for The Salvation Army. Engineering Manager Jamie Truett, who sits on the local Salvation Army board, enlisted dozens of employees from her department, the refinery's Community Action Team and others to ring the bell for a week.

The Catlettsburg refinery’s veterans employee network chapter, in partnership with American Legion Post 177 in Barboursville, West Virginia, collected and filled close to 400 Christmas bags for veterans hospitalized at the local Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital and for those living at the West Virginia Veterans Home in Barboursville, Virginia. Supply Chain Director Donna Davis helped deliver bags to both sites on Dec. 7.  Faculty members at both facilities will pass out the bags on Christmas morning. 

The Community Action Team also sold Christmas trees for the Big Brothers Big Sisters in Ashland, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. It’s the local agency’s largest fundraiser of the year to support its school-based and after-school mentoring program.

Champaign, Illinois

Our Transport and Rail (T&R) fleet team in Champaign volunteered to shop with children at Crisis Nursery, which provides emergency crisis care to children ages birth to six. T&R and the Terminals organizations donated $2,000 to provide toys for the event.

Findlay, Ohio

At our headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, 40 MPC employees and retirees volunteered at the Clothe-A-Child, Ohio, Inc. Legacy Event. Volunteers shopped for 52 children and young adults at Kohl’s. The children then attended breakfast where they received additional gifts and met Santa Claus.

“It was a great event; it always is,” said MPC Manager of Crude Oil Supply Operations Tarrance Reed, who has volunteered with Clothe-A-Child for five years. “It allows my family to spend time with a child in the community, and it always leaves me feeling so grateful.”

The Findlay office also collected more than 450 blankets and 2,300 coats for adults and children. The donation drive supported the Coats for Christmas organization. The items were cleaned by City Uniform and distributed at the local YMCA to anyone who needed a coat or blanket.

“It was a great event; it always is. It allows my family to spend time with a child in the community, and it always leaves me feeling so grateful.”

Teams from Finance and Treasury, Business Planning and Analysis, and MPLX, supported eight families and their combined 22 children through The Salvation Army Adopt-a-Family program in Findlay. Each child received a minimum of five gifts, and the adult/guardian was provided resources for the family’s Christmas meal. Treasury, with the help of various teams throughout the years, has participated in this initiative at Christmastime for many years.

MPC’s Veterans employee network chapter in Findlay, HONOR, supported the local Wreaths Across America events. Employees volunteered at Maple Grove Cemetery and laid wreaths at the graves of those who served in our armed forces. MPC also provided a grant to sponsor wreaths.

Marathon Pipe Line (MPL) supported local families in need this holiday season by participating in the inaugural Santa's Workshop organized by the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) of Hancock County. This event is dedicated to offering gifts to WRC clients and their children. MPL contributed a total of 160 gifts, encompassing items for both children and parents, as well as diapers and essential items. During the workshop, families can pick out gifts for their loved ones, enjoy childcare services, and receive complimentary gift wrapping.

Our ARISE Women’s employee network chapter in Findlay hosted a donation drive and volunteer event to put together shelter exit baskets for Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services. These kits provide home and family hygiene essentials to those leaving the shelter as they begin their new lives. The 28 kits were then taken to Open Arms' offices ready for distribution.

Garyville, Louisiana

Led by the refinery’s Supply Chain team, employees from our refinery in Garyville continued their holiday tradition of putting together Louisiana-themed care packages for military members stationed overseas. It’s part of the refinery’s annual Support Our Troops campaign, which kicked off in mid-October and ran through the end of November. The refinery’s efforts were once again supported by key suppliers, assembling close to 900 care packages that were delivered to troops unable to make it home for the holidays.

Galveston Bay, Texas

Employees from our Galveston Bay refinery’s Inspection Department collected food and monetary donations for the Galveston County Food Bank benefiting its Adopt a Senior program. In all, MPC’s donation will help provide more than 2,100 meals for seniors across Galveston County.

Kenai, Alaska

Employees at our Kenai refinery hosted a Christmas party toy drive to collect items for students at Nikiski North Star Elementary School. They also adopted two groups of angels from The Salvation Army Angel Tree. MPC provided a $1,000 grant to purchase hygiene products for students at Skyview Middle School in nearby Soldotna.

The Kenai refinery’s women’s employee network chapter put together bags for local senior citizens. The bags, filled with a blanket, deck of cards, puzzle books, candy, socks and hygiene products, were delivered this month.

Los Angeles, California

MPC employees with our Direct Dealer team volunteered at the County of Orange Operation Santa Claus program. The nonprofit provides new gifts and toys to children who are abandoned, neglected, and/or abused and are placed in foster care in Orange County, California. Toy donations were also collected at MPC’s Long Beach office and MPLX’s La Palma office. This is the third time the MPC Direct Dealer team has volunteered with the Operation Santa Claus program.

Martinez, California

Employees of the Martinez Renewable Fuels Facility, which MPC partially owns and operates, donated to the Pacific States Petroleum’s Twelfth Annual Toys for Tots Toy Drive, a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Employees contributed new, unwrapped toys for children.

Mt. Airy and Garyville, Louisiana

In the spirit of giving, the Mt. Airy and Garyville Louisiana terminals gave to the local community again this year by adopting the Garyville/Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School in St. John the Baptist Parish. Employees were able to raise more than $2,680 to purchase gifts for 267 elementary children.

Three employees - Peter Rodrigue, Marc Oubre and Austin Jasin - dressed up as Santa Claus, Buddy the Elf and the Grinch to help distribute gifts. Fellow employees provided cookies and juice for all to enjoy while the gifts were being passed out.

Robinson, Illinois

Employees from the Robinson refinery hosted their annual Christmas luncheon in coordination with the Lawrence Crawford Association for Exceptional Citizens, which has provided services for adults with intellectual disabilities for over 40 years. Employees from numerous departments at the refinery volunteered to serve the catered lunch and handed out 90 gift bags to those who attended.

San Antonio, Texas

As one of our most cherished annual holiday traditions in San Antonio, employees, teams and employee network chapters came together to purchase wish list items for families through The Salvation Army Angel Tree Project. This year, employees collected gifts for 100 children and 25 seniors.

MPC’s Veterans employee network chapter in San Antonio, HONOR, supported their local Wreaths Across America event. Employees volunteered at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery and laid wreaths at the graves of those who served in our armed forces. MPC also provided a grant to sponsor wreaths.