Contact: Tina Potthoff, (515) 267-2941 (o), (515) 975-9211 (c)
tpotthoff@hy-vee.com
Customers will have the opportunity to donate fresh milk when they shop March 1-14
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Feb. 28, 2017) — Today, Hy-Vee, Inc. announced its commitment to delivering much-needed milk to local food banks in its eight-state region by partnering with Feeding America for The Great American Milk Drive.
Created as a partnership between Feeding America, MilkPEP and the National Dairy Council, the national campaign unites and enables the nation’s food banks, processors, retailers and consumers to ensure milk and its essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, are provided to families who need it most.
Between March 1 and March 14, every Hy-Vee store will offer customers the option to donate the monetary equivalent of either a half gallon or gallon of Hy-Vee brand 1 percent milk when they checkout. The donation amount will vary based on milk prices at each individual store. At the end of the campaign, all donations will be used to purchase physical gallons of milk from processors and then the milk will be distributed to local food banks.
There are more than 5 million food insecure people in Hy-Vee’s eight-state region, and milk is one of the most requested – yet least available – items in food banks across the nation. Food bank clients receive less than one gallon of milk per person, per year. Hy-Vee aims to help change that with this year’s companywide fundraiser.
“In the past, several of our markets have participated in The Great American Milk Drive and donated more than 120,000 gallons – that’s more than 10 percent of the national total raised among supermarket retailers to date,” said Kevin Sherlock, Hy-Vee’s senior vice president of merchandising/business development. “We are incredibly proud of that impact, and are excited about how much more we can achieve this year with all 244 Hy-Vee stores participating.”
Each Hy-Vee store is associated with one or more milk processor, and each processor has been paired with Feeding America food banks in local communities across Hy-Vee’s territory. Sponsors for this year’s campaign include Anderson Erickson, Dean Foods, Hiland Dairy Foods, Kellogg’s, Kemps, KraftHeinz and Mondelez.
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 240 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $9.8 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s 84,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.
Feeding America is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46.5 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org. Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.
