Evergreen Park 7-Eleven Donates 300 Pizzas to Food Bank

Over the past few weeks, 7-Eleven customers in Evergreen Park gave a little spare change to help area families in need. Those dimes and quarters added up to a big impact – matched by franchisee Hector Murillo – resulting in 300 pizzas donated to the Evergreen Park Food Bank.

“Last weekend, we donated 300 pizzas to the Food Bank in order to provide a warm, hearty meal for hundreds of local families in need,” said Murillo, “Too often, we don’t realize that many of our neighbors are hungry, and we all have to do our part to make a difference.”

Murillo, who started working as an overnight 7-Eleven employee while studying at St. Xavier University in March 2011, rose to become a store manager. In August 2016, Murillo became a 7-Eleven Franchisee with his first store in Evergreen Park at 3440 W. 95th Street. He added his third store location in August 2019.

“My parents were immigrants from Mexico and when I was young, I lived in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, a pretty violent part of Chicago. It wasn’t easy.” said Murillo. His life experience have helped connect with his Evergreen Park customers. “Some of the customers I know by name don’t even realize I’m the owner,” he laughed, but many responded to his idea of donating pizzas to their neighbors.

Being a 7-Eleven franchisee gives Murillo the opportunity to help be a positive force for change in his community. Since opening his store in Evergreen Park, Illinois, Murillo has donated thousands of dollars to Most Holy Redeemer School through Project A-Game. The Project A-Game program is a community outreach program created to provide meaningful youth development opportunities through education, fitness, safety and hunger relief, so children establish a strong foundation that supports their future success. In addition, he sponsors local sports teams. “Kids are important – I want to always be helping them out,” said Murillo.