For over 20 years, Strack & Van Til and Town & Country have been making monumental impacts for organizations across Northwest Indiana just by asking customers a simple question during the checkout process: would you like to round up?
This is known as the Round Up program, which invites customers to round up their final total after purchasing groceries and household goods. The extra proceeds are then donated to a local organization for a good cause. While the program has seen some different iterations over the years, it has always been centered around lending an extra hand to the Northwest Indiana community year-round.
“We used to do a lot of charity fundraising where a customer would buy paper sneakers for JDRF or something for Easter Seals, and it would be $1 or $5 at the register,” said Executive Assistant Fran King. “We would collect for charities that way, and we did that for years.”
As time progressed, so did technology, and around 2015 the program began to take shape into what it is known as today. Registers were able to incorporate asking customers on the screens, and people could select whatever amount they would like to round up or add on to their receipt.
The program has succeeded at making a major impact each year and has raised amounts consecutively over the $500,000 mark. In 2021, King noted a total of $647,000 was raised. In 2022, it amounted to $586,000, and in 2023, the grocery chain raised a grand total of $683,000.
However, the 23 grocery stores involved with this program are simply conduits – it’s the customers who are making the real magic happen. None of this would be possible without the loyal customers who generously take a few dollars out of their wallets to help those in their communities.
“Our customer’s generosity is amazing,” said Stracks Marketing Manager Renee Thometz. “It's appreciated knowing our customers are able to help us do something for the community. Sometimes, it restores your faith in humanity – it's people doing good. Even if it’s a quarter or $1, it does add up. There are also a lot of customers who are very generous with their extra change, and there's customers who will round up every time as well. It's just nice to see there's a lot of caring people in the world who want to help and want others to just be well.”
In order for an organization to be considered for the Round Up program, it’s imperative it be located and serve others within the Northwest Indiana region. This guideline makes it easy for Stracks’ customers to connect to the organizations it partners with, as many may come across a familiar name to support while in the check out line. It also means a lot to the Stracks teams to help out organizations in the area in which its stores are located.
“We try to choose charities that really affect the communities we live and work in so all of our customers feel like they're invested in it as well,” King said. “A lot of these customers probably know somebody who has worked with or gone to one of these charities in the past – the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is a big one, especially now. I think they feel a connection to it knowing that it’s local and something that benefits their friends and neighbors.”
While the 2024 lineup for the Round Up program is almost complete, many companies are already set to be a part of the program, such as the Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Opportunity Enterprises, and Tradewinds. The program will begin with the American Heart Association in February.
Even though this year’s Round Up program calendar is full and will be released soon, other charities are always invited to reach out if they are interested in being a part of the program for the 2025 year. To fill out an application, email King at kingfm@s-vt.com, and she can send a form to fill out. King and the Stracks team ask that the applicants provide a bit of financial information, what they plan to do with the donations raised, and an overview of upcoming events to fully grasp what the organization is about and what it represents. From there the application will be reviewed by a committee at Stracks’ corporate office.
The Round Up program is also just one of the many ways Strack & Van Til is making a positive difference in Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit strackandvantil.com.