Kangaroo Express, the leading independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern United States, operated by The Pantry, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTRY), today announced $528,000 of the funds raised during its “Salute Our Troops®” campaign will be used by Fisher House Foundation to break ground on a new Fisher House at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Kangaroo Express is the largest single contributor to the construction of the house, which is scheduled to open its doors in spring 2015.

Kangaroo Express executives will join Fisher House Foundation Chairman and CEO Ken Fisher and President David Coker, along with Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne LTG Joseph Anderson and Surgeon General of the US Army LTG Patty Horoho, to celebrate at a groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. between Tolson Youth Center and Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg.

The new house at Womack Army Medical Center will join a network of more than 60 “comfort homes” built by Fisher House Foundation at major military and VA medical centers, enabling military and veterans’ families to be close to a loved one during hospitalization.

It will feature a kitchen, communal living room, dining room, laundry room and 12 suites that can accommodate up to 24 family members.

Since its inception in 1990, Fisher House has offered more than 5.2 million days of lodging to more than 200,000 families.

“Thanks to Kangaroo Express, their dedicated employees, and their generous customers, all of the funds raised for Fisher House Foundation during the Salute Our Troops campaign will benefit the construction of the new house in Fort Bragg,” said Fisher. “This new home will serve military families for years to come.”

With more than half of its stores located within 25 miles of a military installation, Kangaroo Express has supported the military and their families for many years. For the third year in a row, Kangaroo Express invited store guests to make donations to the Salute Our Troops campaign last summer and encouraged communities throughout the Southeast to share special messages of gratitude to the military.

Through more than 1,550 Kangaroo Express stores across 13 states, customers and communities enthusiastically demonstrated united support for military personnel and their families. The 2013 campaign raised nearly $2.7 million for military support organizations, bringing the total to $8.4 million raised over the past three summers.

Fisher House Foundation also has a house at Camp Lejeune, helping to serve the Marine Corps community.

“This new Fisher House will make a lasting impact on the lives of service members and their families right here in Kangaroo Express’ own backyard of North Carolina,” said Joe Venezia, senior vice president of operations, Kangaroo Express. “We are honored to help Fisher House expand its services at Womack Army Medical Center and are humbled by the overwhelming generosity of our store guests, who made this house a reality.”

Kangaroo Express presented the 2013 Salute Our Troops donation to Fisher House Foundation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Military Appreciation Day football game on Sept. 28, 2013.

In addition to Fisher House Foundation, donations from the Salute Our Troops campaign will directly support the USO, helping to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families around the world; as well as eight state-based military support organizations. For more information on the campaign, visit www.KESalute.com.