WEST DES MOINES — Hy-Vee has announced its commitment to delivering much-needed milk to local food banks in its eight-state region by partnering with The Great American Milk Drive throughout the month of March.

This is the third consecutive year of the companywide partnership.

During the monthlong campaign, every Hy-Vee store will offer customers the opportunity to donate $2 or $4 toward the purchase of milk when they check out. At the end of the month, all donations will be used to purchase milk from area processors to be distributed to local food banks.

In partnership with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, MilkPEP and the National Dairy Council, The Great American Milk Drive campaign unites and enables the nation’s food banks, processors, retailers and consumers to ensure milk and its essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, are provided to families who need it most. In March of 2018, donations from Hy-Vee customers supplied more than 265,000 gallons of milk.

“Hy-Vee is honored to continue its participation in The Great American Milk Drive to provide even more assistance to help alleviate hunger,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s chairman of the board, CEO and president. “Through the generosity of our customers, and with participation from all of Hy-Vee’s 249 stores, our goal is to increase donations and make nutritious milk available to those in need.”