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 Red “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