GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. – Kinney Drugs has earned special recognition for 2019 as the No. 2 fundraiser in the country from the American Heart Association. Kinney raised $41,000 through a month-long in-store National Wear Red Day fundraising campaign.

Franklin Fry presents plaque to Pavi Chigateri, chief technology officer, KPH Healthcare Services, and executive committee member of Go Red for Women of Greater Syracuse accepts plaque on behalf of Kinney Drugs.

Wear Red Day, the first Friday in February, is the American Heart Association’s campaign that encourages employees in businesses across the U.S. to wear red and donate $5 to help fight heart disease in women. For its 2019 campaign, Kinney employees, customers, partners, vendors and its general community all donated critical funds for research and for people living with heart disease and stroke.

With fundraising efforts only behind those of Morgan Stanley, Becky Bubel,  president, Kinney Drugs said, “We are very honored to be in such esteemed company. For a regional, employee-owned retail pharmacy chain to come in second only to a large, global company is truly remarkable. But it also suggests something that we have always known: We are privileged to have the most generous customers, employees, and business partners and we want to thank them for that generosity.”

The American Heart Association’s Franklin Fry, executive director for Greater Syracuse, presented Kinney officials a plaque to recognize their outstanding achievement at a recent leadership conference in the region.

“Every year this campaign during American Heart Month generates much-needed funds for programming, education, and research. This support from the customers and employees of Kinney Drugs helps us educate our local communities on best practices in treatment, and how women can stay healthy and avoid heart disease and stroke,” said Chigateri.  In 2019, we funded more than $1 million in local scientific research, thanks to extremely dedicated companies such as Kinney Drugs and all of KPH Healthcare Services,” he added.

Kinney’s goal for 2020 is to surpass last year’s donation of $41,000. Throughout the month of February, customers may contribute in-store by donating $1 to receive a Red Dress pin at all Kinney stores.