Checkout Round-Ups Raise $4,488 for Massachusetts Shelters

Massachusetts retailers considering checkout donation programs can use these Western Massachusetts results as a regional benchmark.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Philanthropy

Checkout Round-Ups Raise $4,488 for Massachusetts Shelters

Live Poll

Would you round up your purchases to donate to a local animal shelter?

Customers of Rocky's Ace Hardware raised $32,511 for animal shelters nationwide through the company's 2026 Round Up for Pets fundraiser. Stores in Western Massachusetts contributed $4,488 to local shelters.

Why it matters

The program lets customers donate their purchase change at checkout, a low-friction fundraising model that independent and regional hardware retailers can consider for community engagement. For Massachusetts operators, the local store totals show how participating locations can channel customer generosity directly into nearby causes.

The 2026 Round Up for Pets program raised $32,511 nationwide, with Western Massachusetts stores contributing $4,488 to local shelters. The source does not provide a prior-year comparator, participating-store count, or customer participation figure.

The players

Rocky's Ace Hardware

A hardware retailer operating a multi-store network across Western Massachusetts and other regions, whose annual Round Up for Pets program channels checkout donations to local shelters.

Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center

A municipal animal control and adoption facility serving the Springfield area, one of the shelters receiving Round Up for Pets donations.

Dakin Humane Society

A Western Massachusetts animal welfare nonprofit operating shelters and adoption programs, one of the shelters receiving Round Up for Pets donations.

Second Chance Animal Services

A Massachusetts animal welfare organization providing shelter and adoption services, one of the shelters receiving Round Up for Pets donations.

Westfield Animal Control and Shelter

A municipal animal control and shelter facility in Westfield, one of the shelters receiving Round Up for Pets donations.

The details

Customers round up their purchases at participating checkout counters, and the rounded-up amounts are donated to local animal shelters. Those donations help shelters cover food, medical care, and other essentials. In Massachusetts, participating stores in Springfield, Agawam, East Longmeadow, Westfield, Ludlow, Palmer, and South Hadley directed funds to shelters including Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center, Dakin Humane Society, Second Chance Animal Services, and Westfield Animal Control and Shelter.

2026: Round Up for Pets fundraiser ran as the company's annual program, raising $32,511 nationwide.

Market Landscape

Round-up-at-checkout giving is a well-established retail fundraising mechanism that lets retailers raise donations without large individual contributions. Rocky's Ace Hardware applies the model to local animal shelters across its Massachusetts and other regional store network.

Retailers considering a customer round-up program should weigh checkout-process changes and staff training against the donation potential. Operators in Massachusetts can use the Western Massachusetts results as a regional benchmark when planning community fundraising.

The takeaway

Customer round-up campaigns can aggregate modest individual donations into meaningful totals, as the $4,488 raised by Western Massachusetts stores shows at a regional scale. Operators weighing a similar program should track participation and per-store totals year over year to judge whether the checkout ask is worth the operational effort.