Hy-Vee stores throughout the region hosting food drive through Sunday

All Hy-Vee stores across the region are hosting a Back-to-School Community Food Drive that began Saturday and continues through Sunday, Aug. 23.

The food drive is aimed at providing direct food assistance to local communities as families prepare for the new school year. The initiative comes as hunger reaches critical levels in many of the communities Hy-Vee serves, as approximately one in five children across the nation face food insecurity, according to a Hy-Vee press release. To ensure help reaches those who need it most, each Hy-Vee store has designated a specific local food pantry or food bank to benefit from the drive, keeping donations as close to home as possible.

Customers may round up their purchase totals at checkout, with proceeds going to support each store's designated local food pantry or food bank. Shoppers can also purchase $5 or $10 food bags to donate actual product to those in need.

Additionally, Hy-Vee customers shopping online will be able to make donations as part of the drive. Each store will place a collection barrel next to its food bag display so customers can drop off additional food donations for their local pantry.

To further support the effort, Hy-Vee will match all customer monetary donations made during the drive, up to $100,000.