Shop With a Purpose, a local program through Three Bears Alaska, designates one day each year to donate a percentage of food and fuel sales to the local communities. Every Three Bears participates. More than $24,000 will go to the Mat-Su Food Bank this year, the most for any one recipient.
The Upper Susitna Food Pantry will receive more than $400, all from shoppers at the Trapper Creek Three Bears convenience store. The Pantry also receives support from the Mat-Su Food Bank.
Three Bears Alaska Director of Marketing Cheryl Metiva says the program started in 2023 as a grassroots effort among its leadership. This year, the program doubled its donations from 2024. Metiva says the funds go directly to support the communities where the Three Bears are located. And she adds that there are no restrictions on the funding. It can be used for food, operations, or anything else the group needs to continue their work.
A Friday or Saturday is usually designated each year, according to Metiva, because those days have more shoppers. Ten percent of all grocery sales and five percent of all fuel sales were donated from shopping on December 12th. Three Bears Alaska donated nearly $112,000 to local communities across the state generated from sales on that day.
