Food City Executive Vice President John Jones speaks about the School Bucks program during a press conference unveiling the program in February.Looking forward
The 2016-2017 Food City School Bucks program continues through April 25, 2017. Food City has pledged a total of $700,000 in contributions for the upcoming school year. The amount awarded each school will be based upon the percentage of total purchases made by the customers assigned to that school.For more information about this program or how to participate, contact your local school or visit foodcity.com, or contact Food City School Bucks Coordinator Lisa Johnson at 1-800-232-0174.
Last week, Food City officials presented $100,000 to participating Chattanooga and North Georgia area schools as a result of its 2015-16 School Bucks program.
Soddy-Daisy High School Principal Steve Henry, who spoke during the presentation, said money the school receives from Food City’s School Bucks program goes “right back to the kids.”
“We try to keep up with technology, and it will go back into the classroom,” he said.
Mickey Blazer, who oversees store operations for Food City in the Chattanooga and Knoxville areas, said the donations show the company’s commitment to the locations where the grocer does business.
He said 95 Chattanooga-area schools took part in the Abingdon, Va.-based company’s Food Bucks program this year.
High schools, middle schools and elementary schools were eligible to participate in the program by visiting the company’s website at foodcity.com to register their school.
Students of participating schools were supplied with a barcoded school ID to provide to their friends and family. When scanned at the checkout, along with their Food City ValuCard, the barcode alerts the system of the corresponding school to credit with the purchases.
For every $10 in Food City exclusive brand purchases, the designated school received one point toward its School Buck rewards. At the end of the program, school points were totaled and the contribution was proportionally allocated to schools based upon the number of points each accrued.
Corinne Staley, a Hixson Middle School Parent-Teacher-Student Association member, said the organization will receive requests from teachers about how the money will be used.
“We’re trying to find ways for the school to make money,” she said at the Food City store at 5604 Hixson Pike. “It’s an opportunity for our school.”
The Food Bucks program in the Chattanooga area was based on a partial year since it was unveiled here in February. Officials have said that even more money likely will be earmarked for this full school year.
To date, Food City has awarded over $17.2 million to over 1,000 participating schools across its system.
Food City parent K-VA-T Food Stores announced in July 2015 that it would enter the Chattanooga area by buying 29 Bi-Lo units in the region.
Food City has said it plans to spend up to $50 million over three years on the stores it acquired last year.
Email Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com.