Foster Fuels collects donations for annual Spread the Warmth initiative
Foster Fuels is collecting donations from October through December on behalf of its annual Spread the Warmth initiative to provide coats for those in need.
According to Olivia Beavon, Foster Fuels’ vice president of marketing, Foster Fuels was founded in 1921 as a wholesale fuel distributor and retailer based in Central Virginia that provides propane, diesel and gasoline nationwide. Their philanthropic arm, known as the Foster Foundation, facilitates a clothing collection drive called Spread the Warmth to aid in meeting the needs of the surrounding communities.
Spread the Warmth began in 2019 when Jennifer Foster, wife of Foster Fuels CEO Watt Foster, saw a need in local schools.
“Schools were reaching out to her (Jennifer) saying, ‘Our kids are cold; they don’t have coats for the winter,’” Beavon said.
This year marks the Spread the Warmth drive’s fifth year of collecting winter coats. The primary focus of the drive is to collect coats for elementary students in the area. The drive also accepts adult coats, which will be given to high school students or other charities, according to Foster Fuels’ Spread the Warmth website. New or lightly used coats can be dropped off at collection boxes stationed at several locations around Virginia. A list of these locations can be found on the website.
“For our normal Spread the Warmth coat drive, we do collect them and wash them and make sure all the zippers work and things like that, and then we give them to the local nonprofits who then distribute it to people in need,” Beavon said.
Though the main company of Foster Fuels is nationwide, the Foster Foundation is unique to Central Virginia, the home community of the Foster family.
“As far as the foundation side of things, we really like to have things stay local to the Central Virginia area because we’re living here, we work here and we’re going to give back to the community,” Beavon said.
However, that does not mean the foundation will ignore an outstanding need that may extend beyond the Lynchburg community. Recently, Foster led a team to North Carolina to aid in hurricane relief.
“We collected hats and coats and scarves and socks specifically for victims of Hurricane Helene, and we worked with the World Central Kitchen in North Carolina, and we took everything down in our truck and distributed it to the community there,” Beavon said.
Over the course of their stay in North Carolina, the Foster Foundation provided 650 coats, 200 sleeping bags and 75 blankets, along with new socks, hats, gloves and cases of water.
As of Oct. 31, the foundation collected 3,000 coats, halfway to its goal of 6,000. Liberty students can help the Foster Foundation achieve this goal by buying a coat or choosing to donate one already in their possession and dropping it off at one of the many collection sites.
Students can also consider keeping a collection box outside their dorm room, hall or common area and encourage others to donate.
“Through engagement and donations, the Foster Foundation supports the efforts of local organizations that share their vision of a community where all citizens can thrive,” according to the Foster Foundation.
Barber is the opinion editor.
