Meijer team members select Midwest nonprofits to receive $1.5M in donations
Meijer shared that it conducted a special version of its annual Meijer Team Gives program, empowering team members to make $1.5 million in surprise donations to nearly 300 nonprofits within their communities.
Meijer Team Gives started in 2021 and annually empowers Meijer store and distribution facility team members to select and donate to nonprofits meaningful to them and their local communities. In 2022, the Midwest retailer expanded the program to engage even more team members and make a more significant impact in the communities it serves. The program has supported hundreds of nonprofits with more than $7 million in donations to date. Meijer plans to run the program again this fall.
"Meijer Team Gives is one way we live our purpose and focus on being not just a retailer, but a member of the community that truly cares," said Rick Keyes, president and CEO of Meijer. "Our team members' passion and support for these community organizations is so wonderful to see because it reflects who they are as people and who we are as a company."
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During this latest version of the Meijer Team Gives program, each store and distribution facility was given $5,000 to donate to one nonprofit in their community. Team members at each location worked together to identify the local nonprofits meaningful to them and the communities they serve.
In Michigan, the Lansing Distribution Center voted to award their donation to the Greater Lansing Food Bank. GLFB serves a seven-county, 4,000-sq.-mile service area in mid-Michigan, ensuring families in need have nutritious food to support their health and well-being. In 2022, GLFB distributed more than 11 million pounds of food, equaling more than 9 million meals.
"People are more focused on giving during the holidays, so this springtime opportunity to give back, when organizations are getting fewer donations, was a wonderful surprise," said Michael Gray, manager of the Lansing distribution center services. "Feeding people is at the heart of what we do, so the ability to continue partnering with the Greater Lansing Food Bank, when they are seeing an increased need, resonated with our team."
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"We're so grateful to Meijer, and specifically to the Lansing Distribution Center team who continues to partner with us," said Michelle Lantz, CEO of the Greater Lansing Food Bank. "We've seen the need increase steadily over the past year and with support from partners like Meijer we will be able to continue to meet that need."