Hy-Vee gives $500,000 to new UI Children's Hospital building campaign

The University of Iowa Foundation announced today, Friday, Nov. 21, that Hy-Vee has committed $500,000 toward the UI Children’s Hospital building campaign. The new UI Children’s Hospital is being designed as a healing environment that will improve the health and well-being of children and their families.

The UI is raising $50 million in private donations for the $292 million, 480,000 square-foot hospital, a free-leaning pediatric hospital that will match the exceptional level of care already provided to families. In fact, UI Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in Iowa nationally ranked for pediatric health care. To date, more than $29 million has been raised. The new UI Children’s Hospital will open in 2016.

The “Your Hy-Vee is Helping Our Kids” campaign features photographs of UI Children’s Hospital patients paired with Hy-Vee employees, with accompanying personal stories about the impact of UI Children’s Hospital on their lives. The photos and stories will be released after Thanksgiving at www.thankyouhy-vee.org and posters will be featured in 22 Hy-Vee stores throughout Eastern Iowa.

Brad Waller, Hy-Vee assistant vice president of community relations, and Paetra Sauer, a UI Children’s Hospital patient, participate in a thank-you campaign. Photo by Jill Tobin, UI Foundation

One of the pairs featured in the campaign is Brad Waller, Hy-Vee assistant vice president of community relations, and Paetra Sauer, age 5, who has been diagnosed with microcephaly, epilepsy, and laryngomalacia, and has been a patient at UI Children’s Hospital for four years.

Like all of the employees and patients featured in the campaign, Waller and Sauerhave a personal connection to the hospital. As a teenager, Waller spent six weeks at UI Children’s Hospital for a spinal injury and burn treatment following a serious car accident.

“It’s a strong reflection on the hospital staff that my family and I can look back on our experience with so many positive memories, despite it being such a devastating and life-changing event. It’s testament to their skillful service, their expertise, and especially their enduring culture of caring and compassion,” Waller says. “I feel proud to be part of a company that recognizes the hospital’s value to young lives. Hy-Vee is committed to the health and wellness of its customers and is honored to provide this financial support toward a state-of-the-art hospital facility for children and their families.”

Paetra’s mother, Charlene Sauer, says, “UI Children’s Hospital is a top-ranked hospital in many disciplines, which is so important to us, because Paetra sees many specialists. This is incredibly important for us to have experts close to home so that Paetra can have a high quality of life and care right here, close to home.”

Scott Turner, executive director of UI Children’s Hospital, says, “This $500,000 gift from Hy-Vee is an extraordinary commitment that will help us make our new hospital a reality. We are grateful to Hy-Vee, and we hope this gift will inspire others to join the campaign, at any level, for our kids.”

About Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 235 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $8 billion annually. Hy-Vee ranks among the top 25 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Supermarket News, the authoritative voice of the food industry, has honored the company with a Whole Health Enterprise Award for its leadership in providing services and programs that promote a healthy lifestyle.

About the UI Foundation

The UI Foundation’s mission is to advance the UI and fulfill the aspirations of those it serves. The university’s dedicated contributors fund a broad array of needs, from student scholarships, breakthrough research and life-changing health care to innovative facilities, community outreach, and global education.

The UI and UI Foundation are conducting a historic comprehensive $1.7 billion fundraising campaign, For Iowa. Forever More: The Campaign for the University of Iowa, which will secure the UI’s status as a world-class institution for future generations.

The UI Foundation is the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the UI. For more information about the UI Foundation and the campaign, visit the UI Foundation website.