From left, Cassandra Robinson, director of the Lorain Meijer store; BGCNEO Chief Revenue Officer Shaquira Johnson; BGCNEO Lorain County Regional Director Mike Conibear; BGCNEO Cuyahoga County Regional Director Erin Turner; and Tami Nowaczyk, Meijer market director for West Cleveland.Photo: Photo courtesy of The Boys & Girls Clubs
CLEVELAND - Meijer has announced it is donating $100,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, with the funds allocated evenly between youth programs in the Cleveland and Lorain County regions.
It was part of Meijer’s $1.2 million donation to dozens of Boys & Girls Clubs serving its communities across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. The retailer's gift will fund development programs focused on health, academics and leadership for Boys & Girls Club members.
"As a family-owned business, serving families, and especially children, in our communities is always important to us," Meijer President & CEO Rick Keyes said. "Boys & Girls Clubs offer safe places for children and teens to grow into the future leaders our communities will need, and we're pleased to support them through this donation."
Meijer noted that many of the Clubs serve predominantly socio-economically disadvantaged communities.
"We know that each of our communities are different and that each of the Clubs understand the wants and needs of their members best," said Cathy Cooper, Senior Director of Community Partnerships and Giving at Meijer. "We look forward to seeing how they find unique ways to use this gift to help their members learn, lead and grow."
BGCNEO Jeff Scott called the donation “a truly meaningful investment in the kids of Northeast Ohio. Meijer continues to be a great partner for BGCNEO and a leader in the community.”
Meijer officials presented two checks totaling $100,000 to BGCNEO at a recent ceremony at the Desich Family Campus in Lorain. Within the BGCNEO footprint, Meijer has stores in Sandusky, Lorain, Avon, Seven Hills and Stow, with a new location set to open soon in Brunswick.
This donation is part of the retailer's 2021 end-of-year donation efforts, totaling $6.5 million that will support its key areas of giving: Hunger Relief, Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability and Local Giving. As part of its year-end giving, Meijer previously announced a $300,000 donation to the National Minority Supplier Development Council affiliates serving its Midwest communities. More details on the remaining donations will be shared as information becomes available.
For more information on the retailer's community giving efforts, please visit meijercommunity.com.
About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 258 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "one-stop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio: BGCNEO was formed by the 2019 merger of Clubs in Cleveland, Akron, Lorain County and Sandusky and is one of the largest Boys & Girls Club organizations in the nation. The Clubs provide safe, fun places for kids ages 6-18 after school with a focus on academic success, healthy lifestyles and character development.