As a family-owned company, Meijer strives to serve the needs of families at each of our stores across the Midwest. Our customers, team members and partners help us make the community a better place to live, work and play – and this especially rings true around the holidays. This year, with their support, we were able host and participate in more than 100 events to help positively impact the communities we serve. Below are a few examples.
Shop With a Hero
Every year, Meijer hosts Shop With a Hero events throughout our six-state footprint, pairing underprivileged children with local “heroes” to shop for holiday gifts for themselves and their families. This past holiday season, Meijer hosted more than 100 holiday gift-giving events in more than 50 stores.
The events, which began in mid-November and ran through early January, spread holiday cheer to more than 3,000 children across the Midwest. Children bonded with local heroes as they selected gifts from the aisles, enjoyed treats and activities, and met Santa Claus. The success of the events could not have been possible without the help of local law enforcement, fire fighters and our various partners.
Very Merry Meijer
We also gave thanks this year by surprising an unsuspecting customer in each of our 223 stores by “gifting” them their entire shopping cart filled with Thanksgiving groceries upon checkout. Each surprised customer received an additional $100 Meijer gift card to help pass along the generosity. In addition, the Meijer cashier helping the customer checkout also received a $100 Meijer gift card. It was our way to share the spirit of the season with those we hold dear – our customers and team members.
Community Engagement
The Meijer Outbound Logistics team found some time to spread holiday cheer in the community as well. In addition to the normal pick-up and deliveries required to keep product stocked in Meijer stores throughout the season and the important holiday donation deliveries, they participated in a few local holiday parades.
Our Lansing and Newport Fleet Maintenance team members dressed up tractors and trailers for Christmas parades in Ida, Grand Ledge and Newport, Mich. The Meijer Outbound Logistics team enjoyed supporting Meijer communities and had fun while they did it. In Grand Ledge, office, dispatch and driver team members walked alongside the trucks, handing out candy.