Delays in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are leaving many Iowa families waiting weeks for benefits, and Hy-Vee Grocery Store is stepping in to help. Customers at the Midwestern grocery chain can now purchase $5 or $10 food bundles, which are delivered directly to local food pantries to support families in need.
From Nov. 3-7, multiple locations in Iowa City, including stores on N. Dodge St., 1st Ave., and Waterfront Dr. offered free hot meals to children from 4-7 p.m., and offered the same meal to adults for $3. The grocery store has also been sharing meals on social media that can be made for $3 or less.
Dawn Buzynski, assistant vice president of communications at Hy-Vee, said this initiative is all a part of Hy-Vee’s continued mission to support its local communities. The store recently pledged to donate $100,000 to Feeding America and its 18 regional food banks, and is also supporting local food pantries with $5 and $10 donation bundles available for purchase in stores, Buzynski said.
“The holidays have always been challenging for families struggling with food insecurity, but with more people than ever turning to food pantries, this is something we can do to help,” Buzynski said.
Buzynski said the donation bundles are delivered every day to local food banks, like the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, or HACAP.
According to HACAP, the organization distributed over 10 million pounds of food last year and expects that number to grow in 2025 as demand continues to rise.
Feeding America’s Map the Meal reports there are almost 18,000 individuals in Johnson County alone who are facing food insecurity.
Zach Isom, manager at John’s Grocery in Iowa City, said that the local grocery store is also doing its part to help. John’s Grocery has partnered with Table to Table, a local food rescue organization, and is currently accepting food and monetary donations.
“Everybody seems to be doing their part, with everybody pitching in, trying to make it work,” Isom said. “Iowa City, coming together, it’s great.”
According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the state is facing major disruptions to SNAP benefits this fall due to the ongoing federal government shutdown and a required update to the state’s eligibility system.
Federal guidance from Iowa HHS revealed the state must manually recalculate benefit amounts under the contingency plan, and though applications and renewals continue to be processed, the department said the loading of benefits onto Electronic Benefit Transfer cards “will take time” and some households may wait weeks before benefits appear.
Thomas Gates, a fourth-year University of Iowa student who works at the Hy-Vee Grocery Store on N. Dodge St. in Iowa City, said he has not yet seen the impact of the new food bundle initiative in action at his location, but that Hy-Vee’s frequent philanthropy projects stand out compared to other retail jobs.
“They always put a lot of emphasis on it,” Gates said. “It feels good working there, and it makes Hy-Vee feel more human, in a way. At Target, you’re not hearing anything about helping the community.”
Gates said since he started working at Hy-Vee Grocery Store, the company has pushed philanthropy initiatives for multiple charities, including the American Heart Association, Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes, and veteran organizations.
Hy-Vee Grocery Store’s food insecurity programs arrive as hunger has been rising across Iowa.
According to a study conducted by Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, one in eight Iowans and one in six children in Iowa face food insecurity, and nearly 400,000 Iowans, including over 100,000 children, do not know where they will find their next meal on any given day.
While Hy-Vee Grocery’s Store free meal week has ended, Buzynski said the company is still evaluating whether to continue offering low-cost or free meals in the coming months.
“Right now, we’re just trying to provide for our customers and communities where we can,” Buzynski said.