As Floridians across the peninsula grapple with their losses and look toward meeting their immediate necessities, supermarket companies nationwide are starting to send relief in the form of volunteers, food, equipment and other supplies.
West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee deployed its Disaster Relief Fleet to locations in Florida impacted by Hurricane Ian, according to a media advisory.
The first caravan of Hy-Vee employees were expected to depart Sept. 30, from the Hy-Vee Fresh Commissary in Ankeny, Ohio, in several of the company’s response vehicles. The first group will take Hy-Vee’s mobile command center, Hy-Vee’s mobile water system (which includes a tank and pump trailer), and Hy-Vee’s rapid response pickup truck.
The second group will leave Oct. 1, from Hy-Vee’s Chariton Distribution Center with nine semi-trucks filled with water, ice, snacks, cleaning supplies and protein donated by Hormel Foods.
Hy-Vee’s disaster relief team is working with local emergency operations centers and nonprofit groups to initially assist with recovery efforts in Port Charlotte and Bradenton, Fla. More than 20 Hy-Vee employees have volunteered to take part in the effort.
Other grocery retailers are helping in these ways, according to News4Jax, a Jacksonville, Fla., TV news station:
- Publix has delivered more than 700 truckloads of water equal to almost a million cases, delivered more than 3 million pounds of ice, and is storing double inventory volumes. Before the impacted stores closed for the storm, Publix donated perishable products to local police, firefighters and emergency response teams, and also ensured that associates who work nearby and prepare these stores for the storm received donated product for themselves and their families.
- Walmart activated Disaster Displacement Assistance for impacted associates to help them evacuate. The company positioned 400 drivers in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia to support recovery efforts. Walmart and Sam’s Club have pushed more than $23 million in additional water and disaster related merchandise ahead of the storm, including more than 660 truckloads of additional water and disaster-related merchandise ahead of the storm. A public-facing map showing store and club closures that updates in real-time has been published at Hurricane Ian Facility Status (walmart.com).
- Target also worked to ensure its team members were safe and mobilized its supply chain to fast-track critical supplies to Target stores.
