Strack & Van Til’s “round up” campaign was honored with a check presentation recognizing the funds raised for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana in 2023.
The presentation took place at a luncheon celebration on Friday, January 26. This campaign has become an annual collaboration between both organizations working together on their checkout challenge. This tradition is a year-round fundraiser that strives to create better opportunities in local communities. In 2023, this campaign raised 575,247 meals for individuals and families in Northwest Indiana.
Amy Briseño, vice president of communications and development at the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, discusses what this check presentation means to the entire organization.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Briseño said. “We are so grateful for this campaign. It couldn’t have been possible without management oversight, the cashiers, and the wonderful shoppers who help contribute to it.”
According to Briseño, the round up program has raised more than one million dollars over the past five years and created more than three million meals.
On top of the round up campaign, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana also makes trips throughout local communities to serve people in need.
“Our number one direct distribution model is our mobile markets,” Briseño said. “They take place roughly five times a week throughout Lake and Porter County. We also have some on-site that serve more than 500 households. That helps us to carry out these funds today to provide hunger relief.”
Briseño notes that the support of partner agencies has also been critical to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana continuing to make an imprint on the Region. The checkout challenge with Strack & Van Til has been an important way for their organization to increase awareness of preventing hungry families.
“There’s no way that we would be able to replicate the reach that we have without the help of Strack & Van Til,” Briseño said. “We’re always appreciative of these moments that can make a difference in the community and their employees have been a tremendous boost in helping us reach our mission.”
Strack & Van Til is appreciative of working with their organization and plans to continue this campaign for the foreseeable future. President & CEO Jeff Strack shares what this partnership has meant for their team.
“The Food Bank in Northwest Indiana is a place that’s near and dear to our hearts,” Strack said. “It’s all about making this area a better place to live and the round up program is one way that we are able to accomplish that.”
The luncheon celebration also awarded some of the cashiers and stores with the top earners for the checkout challenge. Randy Gootee, Strack & Van Til store manager in Highland, spoke on behalf of their store earning the highest funds and creating the most meals for the community in 2023.
“We didn’t have any of our individual employees honored in the top 10 earners, so it’s truly been a team effort all around,” Gootee said. “We’ve made it a point to ask every customer and all of our cashiers to get behind it.”
This celebration is a great way for Strack & Van Til and the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana to honor the people who are helping create a better living environment in the Region.
“It’s a great time to get together with our top earning store employees and see everyone that helps raise funds from our customers,” Strack said. “Allowing them to be exposed to the Food Bank for the work they’ve put into this to help their mission is pretty awesome.”
For more information, you can visit their websites on Strack & Van Til or the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
