Company : Hy-Vee, Inc.
Program category : Neighborhood Health

Origins:

In 2022, Hy-Vee was among a select group of grocery retailers invited to attend the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. There, the retailer committed to delivering 30 million meals to vulnerable communities by 2025, as well as deploying its team of registered dietitians to educate 100,000 Americans in areas of low food access on healthy eating and nutrition by 2026.  This pledge, which was one of the most significant commitments in Hy-Vee history, served as a further extension of the retailer’s mission in making lives easier, healthier and happier. Fighting hunger has been one of Hy-Vee’s core initiatives for more than a decade. The grocer donates millions of meals annually to local food banks. Hy-Vee is also committed to increasing health care access and, over the years, has developed a comprehensive slate of health and wellness services. For years, Hy-Vee has employed a team of registered dietitians to offer a variety of in-person and virtual services including personalized nutritional counseling, condition management programs, cooking workshops, health screenings and more. Hy-Vee has a fleet of mobile health units that it deploys to communities to provide services like vaccinations and health screenings. Hy-Vee’s Midwestern footprint includes a mix of rural and urban communities and many of its stores and pharmacies serve as the nearest point of care for many patients. Leveraging its geographic footprint, as well as its expertise in fighting food insecurity and providing nutrition education, Hy-Vee not only reached its targeted goals — but surpassed them.

Contribution:

To reach and engage with vulnerable populations across the Midwest, Hy-Vee forged strategic partnerships with multiple organizations:
• Hy-Vee teamed up with Old El Paso/General Mills to distribute meal kits and provide nutrition education to low-income areas.
• Hy-Vee partnered with Iowa Total Care and Nebraska Total Care to educate Medicaid recipients through health fairs, written resources and advocacy meetings.
• To reach youth, Hy-Vee worked with Title I schools to provide nutrition-focused presentations, store tours and cooking classes.
• Hy-Vee partnered with homeless shelters, food pantries and local county boards to provide nutrition education and affordable recipes. Dietitians also served meals, administered health screenings and provided free groceries at shelters and pantries.

To fight food insecurity, Hy-Vee partnered with Feeding America to launch the 100 Million Meals Challenge, an ongoing initiative that has united Hy-Vee employees, customers and supplier partners together to help provide 100 million meals for Feeding America member food banks. 

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Objectives:

To fulfill its commitment, Hy-Vee launched a widespread, multifaceted strategy to bring meals and nutrition education to people in need. Hy-Vee’s goal was to not only to reach as many people as possible, but to reach a diverse population in terms of age, socioeconomic status, abilities and more. To successfully reach these individuals, Hy-Vee knew that trust had to be established in local communities and ease of access was critical. The retailer forged partnerships with community nonprofits, government entities and other establishments to reach individuals in need in their communities. Hy-Vee also aimed to make an even greater difference in fighting hunger by uniting others in its mission. In stores and online, Hy-Vee encouraged its employees and customers to join the cause by donating to Feeding America. Additionally, Hy-Vee invited supplier partners to join the effort by donating product.

Impact:

Hy-Vee not only met — but surpassed — both of its White House commitments well ahead of its target dates. Since 2023, Hy-Vee has provided 75 million meals to people in need — with more meals still on the way this year. Since 2022, Hy-Vee’s team of registered dietitians have brought healthy eating and nutrition education to more than 103,000 people. Hy-Vee’s dietitians laid out a strategic, creative plan to reach individuals with low food access due to financial situations or physical location:
• Hy-Vee’s partnership with Old El Paso/General Mills reached nearly 19,000 families across the Midwest.
• More than 10,000 students at Title I schools learned about healthy snacks and how to make them.
• In partnership with Medicaid managed care organizations Iowa Total Care and Nebraska Total Care, Hy-Vee served more than 3,100 people through “Green To Go” health fairs, written resources and advocacy meetings for Medicaid recipients. Hy-Vee also donated truckloads of produce for low-income families. Hy-Vee dietitians will continue to serve this population through “My Health Pays” events at 20 Hy-Vee locations this summer.
• Hy-Vee’s partnership with local county boards brought nutrition education and recipe inspiration to thousands of people who qualify for supplemental foods programs.

Quote:

“During these challenging economic times, we know more families are turning to food banks and community resources for assistance, and that’s where we can help. By providing 30 million meals by 2025 and providing health and nutrition education to 100,000 Americans by 2026, we can better the lives of those families who are currently food insecure. Our ultimate goal is to help reduce hunger and connect with those in need, because no one should ever have to worry about where their next meal will come from.” - Jeremy Gosch, CEO

Support Statement:

“We cannot thank Hy-Vee enough for the work and support they provided our school. The dietitians’ food and nutrition preparation program was incredible, and our students really enjoyed it. Without Hy-Vee’s vision and support, this would not have been possible.” - Bryan Coffey, community school coordinator at Goodrell Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa