Charitable Giving
Charitable Giving
As a local family-owned business, Kowalski's Markets has been active in the communities we serve and is always excited to partner with you in your fundraising efforts. We've literally tried hundreds of different programs over the years and have settled on the following programs to help local organizations with their fundraising needs:
Groceries for Good Causes
Kowalski's has donated over $2 million to local charities through our Groceries for Good Causes (GFGC) program. The intent of GFGC is to help the community directly surrounding each store by supporting nonprofit organizations like schools, churches, food shelves, youth support groups and Animal Humane Societies, to name a few. These local organizations then use the funds to help others directly. The program is simple: Customers place their receipts in labeled boxes at the front of the store. A donation is made quarterly based on the total number of receipts collected in each charity’s bin. This system allows us to direct our charitable giving to the local organizations that matter most to our customers.
Group Fundraisers
Many teams or youth groups have become "carryouts for a day" at their local Kowalski's Market. Upon completing their services, we make a donation to their nonprofit organization.
Supporting the Food Shelf
We have been partnering with Second Harvest Heartland's food shelf since 1997 to ensure all our day-old product ends up in the hands of those in need. We were the first grocery retailer to partner with Second Harvest and have donated over 7 million meals to date! Their fleet of trucks travels nearly half a million miles a year, picking up food donations and delivering them to local food shelves, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, senior community centers and children’s after-school programs.
5¢ Bag Credit
When customers bring in and use their own reusable grocery bags, we offer them a 5¢ credit per bag used. Customers can choose to donate their bag credit to Great River Greening, a nonprofit that works to conserve and restore local land and water resources.
Kowalski's For Kids
Kowalski's 4 Kids is a private, nonprofit foundation to benefit children. The Kowalski family developed this foundation in 1993 to provide program funding, educational opportunities and family support for children. We hold an annual charity golf tournament to benefit these programs. Our sponsors are our vendors and partners. All proceeds from our golf tournament are put into the Kowalski's 4 Kids Foundation and used to support Sharing & Caring Hands, Hazelden Betty Ford Youth Programs and other organizations that help at-risk youth. The Kowalski family will continue to invest their time, energy and resources and partner with others in their communities to create opportunities for at-risk youth.
