― Hy-Vee raises more than  $325,000 for type 1 diabetes research ―

Des Moines, IA, August, 29, 2018 ― On August 11, JDRF kicked off the 2018 La Crosse, Wisconsin, Ride to Cure Diabetes to help fund critically needed type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The charitable bike ride attracted more than 700 riders, including 64 Hy-Vee, Inc. employees who raised $325,000  toward JDRF’s mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications.

The La Crosse Ride is one of six nationwide JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes events that bring together people of all ages and experience levels in support of a world without T1D. Hy-Vee’s participation in the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes dates back to 2004 when a group of employees pedaled their way across the course in Death Valley, California. Hy-Vee has consecutively participated in the JDRF ride events for the past 14 years at locations including; La Crosse, WI, Death Valley, CA, Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, Whitefish, MT, Amelia Island, FL, Ashville, NC, Kansas City, KS, and Burlington, VT.

“JDRF is a cause that’s near and dear to our hearts, and has been for many years,” said Hy-Vee Category Manager Todd Gean. “We had numerous employees from multiple states volunteer to participate in this event. Hy-Vee is proud to be one of the leading companies to participate in the Ride for a Cure this summer.”

Hy-Vee’s partnership and support of JDRF, the leading global organization funding T1D research, dates back 20 years when then Chief Executive Officer Ron Pearson chaired the Greater Iowa JDRF One Walk. To date, Hy-Vee has raised more than $19 million through its partnership with JDRF. T1D touched Hy-Vee in 1921 when the company’s co-founder Charles Hyde’s 8-year-old son, Paul, died from the disease.

“We greatly appreciated our long-standing relationship with Hy-Vee,” said Derrick Rapp, JDRF President, and CEO. “Partners like Hy-Vee, in conjunction with our many volunteers, are the backbone of our organization. Their commitment is helping to galvinze the impact JDRF is making everyday in the lives of people living with T1D.”

Hy-Vee support’s JDRF mission through:

• JDRF Ride to Cure: corporate ride team, ride team coaches, volunteers, point of purchase campaigns
• JDRF One Walk: sponsorship, sneaker sales, in-store fundraising, vendor campaigns, in-kind donation, corporate walk teams and volunteers
• JDRF Gala program: sponsorship, in-kind donation
• Chapter Board of Directors

“Year after year, JDRF Ride participants return to champion for a common cause,” said Alyson Levine, JDRF National Director, Ride to Cure. “We are extremely grateful for the thousands of riders, sponsors and donors from across the country. Every dollar raised helps fund research that brings us one step closer to turning Type One into Type None.”

To date, JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes has raised more than $47 million for T1D research. Each rider commits to raising a minimum dollar amount, starting at $2,000. To learn more, visit ride.jdrf.org.

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About T1D
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it.

About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF

About Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 245 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $10 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 80,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.