On the morning of Friday, February 14, Strack & Van Til executives and staff presented the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana a check in the amount of $183,347 at the Food Bank’s location in Merrillville. The funds were raised between November and December 2024 through Strack & Van Til’s Check Out Challenge Round Up program. This program enables Strack and Van Til’s customers to round their total up to the nearest whole dollar to support charitable organizations in Northwest Indiana. Strack & Van Til employees and stores who raised the most Round Up funds received awards for their efforts. After the presentations, the attendees enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by Strack & Van Til.
Jeff Strack, CEO of Strack & Van Til, enjoyed seeing Strack & Van Til customers support their neighbors by donating to the Round Up program. He said that this generosity ultimately leads to a stronger community.
“Strack & Van Til has dedicated itself to supporting the community ever since Nick Van Til and Ernie Strack founded the company in 1959,” Strack said. “Food insecurity is a very real issue in Northwest Indiana: one in seven residents don’t know where their next meal will come from. I thank Victor and the Food Bank for their efforts to combat food insecurity in the Region and our cashiers for all the great work they’ve done for the Round Up program. I would also like to thank our customers because, without their help and support, Strack & Van Til wouldn’t be where it is today and the Food Bank would likely be in a tougher spot.”
Strack & Van Til cashiers and managers from the grocery chain’s many branches were in attendance. They enjoyed fried chicken, salad, soda, and cookies that were provided by Strack & Van Til catering.
Victor Garcia, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, and Bri Stimson, development manager at Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, then began presenting gift bags and awards to the stores and cashiers who had the highest conversion percentages. The conversion percentage indicated the percentage of a cashier’s customers that participated to round their grocery bill up to the next dollar amount.
Garcia considered the day’s event to be an excellent way to recognize the Strack & Van Til cashiers who have been the force behind the Round Up program.
“We know that family is at the heart of the Strack & Van Til stores,” Garcia said. “For years they have consistently supported and given back, not just to the Food Bank, but many other non-profit organizations that serve our neighbors in Lake and Porter counties. Their Round Up program shows that they put their efforts where their beliefs are. They are dedicated to ensuring that nonprofits like the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana have the financial resources we need to do our good work. We're so excited to have an opportunity to congratulate and thank the Strack & Van Til employees who go above and beyond in their efforts to generate revenue for the Round Up program.”
Since 2020, the Round Up campaign has raised over a million dollars for the Food Bank. This has enabled the Food Bank to distribute over three million meals to residents of Lake and Porter Counties. Last year alone, the Food Bank distributed 9.2 million pounds of food from its location in Merrillville to residents of Lake and Porter County. 2024 was the most productive year in the Food Bank’s nearly 50-year history.
Joe Stupka, chief operating officer at Strack & Van Til, takes pride in the dedication that Strack & Van Til employees have demonstrated during their participation in the Round Up program.
“Taking care of our customers and our community is a part of Strack & Van Til’s mission,” Stupka said. “It’s really great to see that we have so many employees dedicated to living out that mission. It can be uncomfortable asking customers to donate, but our employees are willing to ask nonetheless. We don’t want to overlook the great things that Strack & Van Til employees are doing, so we wanted to honor them here today. They have all played an instrumental role in helping Strack & Van Til provide the Food Bank with these funds.”
Stimson views the Round Up program as a convenient and cost-effective way Strack & Van Til customers can support their fellow community members.
“This is an important event for the community because it highlights just how much the community has come together to raise money for those that need it,” Stimson said. “I don't think many people realize that just a little bit of change can go a long way. Some people may not be able to donate a large dollar amount to support community organizations. However, if they can round their total up by a few cents here and there when they shop, it makes a difference in the end. The fact that Strack & Van Til puts on the Round Up campaign says a lot about the company’s heart and its priorities.”
You can visit strackandvantil.com for more information on Strack & Van Til’s services, products, and upcoming events.
