Hy-Vee matches customer donations, up to $100,000, during its initiative
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Dec. 30, 2017) —Hy-Vee customers joined the company’s annual Hy-Vee Round Up for the Homefront initiative during the month of November and raised $290,068.85 to support our country’s active-duty military members and veterans.
Last month, customers joined Hy-Vee in supporting veterans and military members at the company’s 246 grocery stores across eight Midwestern states. Starting Nov. 1 and running through Nov. 30, the Round Up program provided customers the opportunity to round up their total purchase to the next dollar — or a desired dollar amount — at the checkout. Hy-Vee matched customer donations up to $100,000, bringing the total donation to $290,068.85.
“Hy-Vee customers continue to be grateful for the service our veterans and active military members provide this country, and they showed it through their generosity at the checkout,” said Brad Waller, assistant vice president of community relations at Hy-Vee. “By partnering with our customers, we’ve raised more than $1.4 million over the past five years through the Round Up for the Homefront program.”
All proceeds from Hy-Vee’s Round Up program benefit four organizations that support veterans and their families: Hope for the Warriors, Operation First Response, the American Red Cross and the Puppy Jake Foundation.
Hope for the Warriors is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their families and the families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Operation First Response helps meet the immediate personal and financial needs of wounded military members and their families. The American Red Cross helps military members, their families and veterans respond to the challenges of military service, and the Puppy Jake Foundation raises, trains and provides service dogs to veterans.
In addition to the Round Up effort, the Hy-Vee Homefront initiative comprises several company efforts, including complimentary Veterans Day breakfasts at all Hy-Vee stores, Honor Flights and veteran and military member employee recruitment.
Hy-Vee commemorated Veterans Day on Nov. 11 by offering a free breakfast to veterans and active-duty military members. Hy-Vee served approximately 93,500 veterans and service members at its 246 stores.
Every year, Hy-Vee also increases its efforts to recruit and provide employment to veterans and active-duty military members. Currently, Hy-Vee has nearly 2,300 employees who are veterans; more than 225 of those employees were hired over the past year.
“Veterans and military service members continue to help Hy-Vee align our work with our core values of loyalty, honor and commitment. Our efforts to actively recruit employees with military experience benefit our veterans, our customers and our company,” said Sheila Laing, executive vice president, chief administrative officer.
For more information about the Hy-Vee Homefront initiative, the organizations that benefit, and how you can get involved, visit www.hy-vee.com/homefront.
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