Hy-Vee B4MC Annual Report 2022

About the Hy-Vee “My Heart” Reusable Bag Program

The Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program makes it easy for Hy-Vee customers to contribute to their communities while supporting the environment. With every purchase of a $2.50 “My Heart” Reusable Bag, $1 goes to that store’s selected local nonprofit. Since inception in 2019, the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program has generated $124,452 in donations to local non-profits, supported almost 4,000 local organizations, and eliminated the need for 3,733,470 single-use plastic bags.

2022 Program Highlights

Action Plan for 2023

In the last months of 2022, an Action Plan was created to enhance Program experience for participating nonprofits and to reengage stores in the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program. Implemention of the Action Plan, including elements below, began at the end of 2022 and will carry through 2023. The revitalization of the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program driven by the Action Plan will maximize bag sales and the impact of the program on the local community in 2023.

Two-month nonprofit selection period. Store leadership will now select organizations to benefit for two months at a time, six times a year.

Check distribution threshold changed to $20. Donation checks will be sent only after organizations have earned $20 or more through the Program.

Refreshed Program website. Features include new marketing materials reflecting the two-month selections and Impact Stories highlighting the benefiting nonprofits and how the Program has helped.

Store outreach. The PSIM team will call all stores to explain changes to the Program and offer assitance with inventory and ordering.

Database optimization. All 4,000 nonprofits in the database available for Hy-Vee stores to select were validated in 2022 to ensure they are active and engaged in the community. Each Hy-Vee has at least 12 nonprofits across all types to select for the two-month benefiting periods in 2023.

2023 Forecast

With the Action Plan implementation, program sales are forecasted to increase across all stores in 2023. Current sales projections suggest 2023 will be the most successful year in the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program’s history with an anticipated 6,000 monthly sales average.

The following is excerpted from the Impact Story “Building better lives.” interview with Patricia Stevens who serves on the Board of Directors for NAMI Northeast Iowa.

To be a recipient of the Hy-Vee “My Heart” Bag Program is very special to us. When I visited our local Hy-Vee to ask if we could display NAMI literature for shoppers, I was welcomed.

The very well-organized, concentrated training sessions provided by NAMI Iowa and NAMI National have associated tuition, travel and lodging costs. The funds raised in the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program will be used to recruit and train more program leaders, purchase adequate educational literature supplies, and raise local awareness that we exist. As mentioned, NAMI provides excellent training for their programs, and as a local chapter, we pay a fee for that training.

READ THE FULL IMPACT STORY AT HY-VEE.2GIVELOCAL.COM/NAMI-NORTHEAST-IOWA/

Benefiting in February, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa, Inc. raised a total of $30.

Hy-Vee is such a great community partner! We appreciate the opportunity to have you raise for us as well as bring awareness to our organization.

Brenda Miller Executive Director

Benefiting in October, Face It Together raised a total of $17.

Thank you for Hy-Vee’s continued support of Face It TOGETHER! We always appreciate being included in these community programs.

Terri Brown Lead Coach

Benefiting in November, Ozarks Literacy Council raised a total of $13.

Thank you! This is a fantastic program! We are thrilled to be the beneficiary and look forward to promoting it and Hy-Vee!

Amy Jo Jardell Executive Director

What is Earned Media

and what is the PSIM value add?

When a nonprofit is selected to benefit from the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program, the PSIM Marketing Team reaches out via email seven times before and during the selection period. Each email contains marketing ideas and templates for nonprofits to use to spread news of their selection in the program to their supporters. Templates include sample press releases, social media posts, newsletter language and marketing emails.

Each mention of Hy-Vee in print and online generates Earned Media for the brand. Below are just a few examples of nonprofits generating Earned Media for the Hy-Vee Reusable Bag Program through outreach to their supporters.

Store Impact

Tips and Best Practices

Sales by District

RANK DISTRICT TOTAL 2022 SALES

1 Rochester 2,545 2 Omaha 2,483 3 Lincoln 2,231 4 Iowa City 2,160 5 Sioux Falls 2,100 6 Des Moines East 2,007 7 Peoria 1,661 8 Kansas City East 1,555 9 Kansas City West 1 ,550 10 Columbia 1,348

The key to selling bags is to have them at every register, not before the checkout, and to position it so it can be an impulse purchase rather than a planned purchase—“Shopper Friendly” product placement.

Brian Amsberry Store #1465 District Director Store #1465 sold a total of 705 bags.

The most important thing is visibility—we keep the rack up front so customers can use the bags when they’re shopping or checking out. We also try to increase the amount of touch points throughout the store and make sure we’re switching out the signs the first of the month.

John Quast Store #1155 Manager Store #1155 sold a total of 845 bags.

It’s the least we can do for our community. Always keep the rack full. Inform Service Managers about the program so they can promote and educate.

Aaron Livingston, Store #1392 Manager Store #1392 sold a total of 642 bags.

This cluster map depicts the location of all nonprofit organizations that have benefited from Hy-Vee’s “My Heart” Reusable Bag Program since their inception on October 26, 2019. These organizations provide important services to their communities in areas including civic, education, health and wellness, hunger relief, and military/veterans. The PSIM team works throughout the year to research, vet and regularly validate every nonprofit found or received by outside submission.

Coming

Way… Story Booklets

In 2022 the PSIM Nonprofit Engagement Team interviewed nonprofits that benefited from the Hy-Vee “My Heart” Reusable Bag Program. The result of each interview is an Impact Story, highlighting the organization’s mission and how they utilize funds raised in the Reusable Bag Program. A selection of these impact stories were compiled into a Story Booklet. Hard copies will also be mailed to your corporate office.

To read Hy-Vee’s Impact Stories, visit hy-vee.2givelocal.com/stories

For more information about the Reusable Bag Program, visit hy-vee.2givelocal.com/program/my-heart-reusable-bag

Contact

Sydni Collier Program Manager sydnic@psitmatters.com (603)380-9400 Ext. 107