BROOKFIELD, Wis. — When you step inside one of the five Open Pantry Food Marts locations, you’ll be greeted with hundreds of orange sneakers.

Each sneaker represents a donation to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a longtime fundraiser of the convenience store.

Since the fundraiser started in the early 2000s, more than $600,000 has been raised. 

What You Need To Know

  • Open Pantry Food Marts fundraises each year for multiple sclerosis

  • The fundraiser has raised over $600,000 since the early 2000s

  • CEO Robert Buhler's mother had MS, which is why it's close to his heart

When Robert Buhler took over the family business that his father started, he knew he had to honor his mother, who had multiple sclerosis (MS). 

MS is a disease of the central nervous system that impacts the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Nearly 1 million people are living with MS in the U.S., according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. 

“She always had a little bit of coordination issues driving the car,” said Buhler. “Had some non-smoothness in her operating system. You would never know it. My father knew it. We knew it. We didn’t dwell on it. Every day she didn’t act as though if there was anything.” 

In addition to the in-store fundraiser, Open Pantry also participates in the MS Walk in Milwaukee.

Open Pantry’s Chief Operating Officer Jim Schutz said when he visits each store, he can tell how passionate his staff are for the cause. 

“Everybody is at the walk,” said Schutz. “They see how debilitating this disease is. They also see that people have hope in their eyes. We come back and it gives us strength to raise money in the level that we do.” 

By raising money each year, both Schutz and Buhler said they are hopeful one day there will be a cure for MS. 

“The belief that there will be a cure,” said Buhler. “They walk it every day.”

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