FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jessica Sund
Director of Development and Communications
Phone: 507.269.2885
Email: [email protected]
Rochester, MN – April, 11th, 2022
Hy-Vee, Inc. has joined together with Channel One Regional Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, in the fight against food insecurity. The four Rochester Hy-Vee stores are donating 14 pallets of food, as well as presenting funds to Channel One from Hy-Vee’s “Scan Out Hunger” campaign this past winter.
“Scan Out Hunger” was a campaign partnership between Hy-Vee, Inc. and Feeding America that took place across the supermarket chain’s eight-state region from October to December, 2021. The campaign raised enough funds to provide over five million meals to Feeding America food banks in Hy-Vee’s region.
“Our local Hy-Vee stores give to Channel One year-round through programs like retail food rescue and by supporting events like Empty Bowls,” explained Jessica Sund, Director of Development and Communications at Channel One, “but this year, the four Rochester stores and the other ten stores in our region went above and beyond. The funds from ‘Scan Out Hunger’ alone will provide over 110,000 meals to our 14-county region, not to mention the pallets of food that the Rochester stores are donating. The impact this will have on food insecurity in the region is incredible.”
In Channel One’s service region of Southeastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin, there are fourteen Hy-Vee stores, which together raised $34,249 for Channel One during the winter campaign. In addition to the regional campaign funds– which included customer donations, corporate donations from Kellogg’s and Keurig Dr. Pepper, and a match from Hy-Vee, Inc– local Rochester Hy-Vee stores joined together to donate an additional 14 pallets of food from their stores.
With the recent increase in costs due to supply chain challenges, more people are using food programs than before the pandemic. Channel One’s onsite food shelf currently sees an average of 4,500 households each month, nearly double what it was serving in 2019. The grocery and monetary donations from Hy-Vee will be used to provide food access not only at the Channel One Food Shelf, but also at Channel One’s 183 agency and program partner locations.
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About Hy-Vee, Inc.
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 280 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $11 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 more than 86,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 199 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and 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. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Channel One Regional Food Bank
Channel One Regional Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, strengthens food access and builds healthy communities. Channel One operates food programs to serve local and area needs such as: a food bank, a food shelf, mobile pantries, Childhood Hunger Programs, and the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS). Channel One Regional Food Bank mobilizes organizations, volunteers, and donors to serve the network of more than 200 nonprofit programs that provide food for children, adults, and families in need. Channel One serves 14 counties across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. For more information, call 507.287.2350 or visit helpingfeedpeople.org
