Strack & Van Til donates 1,000 Easter meals for families in the Region to Food Bank of Northwest Indiana

On Tuesday, March 24, Strack & Van Til employees gathered at the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana for one of the grocer’s traditional holiday meal packing events. The employees spent the day putting together bags with items they donated that included hams, sliced pineapple, corn, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and more for families in the Region.

More than 1,000 meals were packed. Joe Stupka, chief operating officer at Strack & Van Til, believes this event is crucial and aligns with what the company is all about.

“With all of the food insecurity in and around Northwest Indiana, it’s extremely important for us to make sure that everybody has food on the table,” Stupka said. “Food has always played a big role in the holidays, and as a local company, we’re here to help out in any way we can.”

One of the biggest campaigns that Strack & Van Til runs throughout the year is called the Checkout Challenge. This is a fundraising campaign where the cashiers at Strack & Van Til stores throughout the Region invite customers to round up on their purchases for a donation. Together, these donations support the fight against hunger in local communities.

Strack & Van Til employees work with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana to pack meals for families three times a year for different holiday celebrations. Strack & Van Til presented a check last month to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana from its 2025 Checkout Challenge holiday round up, which came out to a total of $185,193.

“We try to help out as many organizations as we can,” Stupka said. “A lot of that comes from generous donations from our customers at the checkout lane, but we want to be able to make an impact in as many places as possible. The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is one of the top places that we can do so.”

This collaboration between both organizations and community volunteers exemplifies the true meaning of the holiday season, which centers on love, human connection, reflection, and generosity.

“Taking care of the community is one of our core values,” Stupka said. “We’re dedicated to providing high-quality products and services to support families during the holiday season.”

Shelley Hansen, sales manager with Strack & Van Til, is always eager to provide a helping hand at these meal packing events during the Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons.

“It means a great deal for us, the entire company, and myself,” Hansen said. “We’re very fortunate to help for the holidays in this way.”

At Strack & Van Til, the company’s mission is to prioritize exceptional service and the best customer experience possible. This donation creates an avenue for that to happen, even if you are struggling financially.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for us to make people happy,” Hansen said. “Our biggest pillar centers around what we can do for our customers in Northwest Indiana.”

As families start to prepare for Easter Sunday, Strack & Van Til hopes that everyone can be as cheerful as the Easter Bunny this holiday season.

“I just think everyone should know that we’re going to do what we can to make sure we’re taking care of our communities,” Stupka said. “A strong community means that we have a strong business, so we always have to make sure that we’re taking care of the community before anything else. This event is great, because it gives us a chance to get out and work hard to ensure that nobody goes hungry and everyone has a great Easter with their families.”

For more information on Strack & Van Til, you can visit strackandvantil.com.