In the Midwest, local grocers are meeting the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. In Kansas City, Price Chopper is donating to community food network Harvesters, and Buehler’s Fresh Foods in Ohio is amending its policies to help its employees.
Price Chopper donates $250,000 to Harvesters
Price Chopper, Kansas City’s locally owned grocer, is donating $250,000 to Harvesters to help the area’s largest community food network meet the growing demand for assistance. 
“We’re proud to partner with Harvesters to meet our community’s growing need. There’s never been a more important time for all of us to work together to help our neighbors,” said Casie Broker, chief marketing officer for Price Chopper. “With this donation, Harvesters will be able to provide 750,000 meals to Kansas Citians who need them.”
Price Chopper also is offering its customers the opportunity to donate $1, $5 or $10 to Harvesters in its stores at checkout or online at mypricechopper.com. Donations will be accepted through April 30 and all proceeds will go directly to Harvesters. For every $1 that is donated, Harvesters can provide three meals to those in need.
Price Chopper’s 51 Kansas City stores are locally owned by the Ball, Cosentino, McKeever and Queen families, all of whom live in Kansas City and oversee store operations on a daily basis.
Buehler’s amends policies due to Covid-19
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wooster, Ohio-based Buehler’s Fresh Foods is allowing employee’s personal carryover days from 2019 to be used anytime in 2020. The policy was amended January 2020 to include a deadline to use the personal carryover days by March 31.
Buehler’s is making an exception this year because the company understands that many of its employees were planning on using their personal carryover days before March 31, but were unable to because of the expanded work schedule during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Also, after receiving multiple requests from employees, starting this week Buehler’s Fresh Foods will providing reusable masks to any of its employees that would like to have one, in addition to gloves.
Buehler’s Fresh Foods grocery store was founded in 1929 by E.L. Buehler and his wife, Helen. The family moved the business in 1932 to Wooster, and, after four generations, grew to 13 stores serving the northeast Ohio market. In 2017, Buehler’s became an ESOP (employee stock ownership program) with the belief that selling to their own employees was the best way to assure the continuation of the innovative and creative spirit which made the chain a benchmark for independent grocers.
