2022 Build With Bags Grant Recipients

New park benches, planters and picnic tables will help to beautify parks and schools throughout Iowa this spring and summer, courtesy of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association’s Build with Bags program.

Eight Iowa communities will be receiving grants of up to $2,000 to purchase items made from recycled plastic bags. Items include park benches made by Plastic Recycling of Iowa Falls. One park bench represents approximately 10,600 bags that won’t end up in the landfill.
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A total of 23 applications were submitted from which eight winners were selected by a committee of representatives in support of the Build with Bags program. Each committee member individually scored the applications. The scores were then combined for an overall point total. This year, the top eight applicants with the most points received grants totaling $15,397.

2022 Grant Recipients

Organization Name	Grant Amount	Project	Local Grocer
Briar Cliff University	$2,000	Four picnic tables for the Bishop Mueller Complex at Briar Cliff University	Mike Haiar, store director, Sioux City Hy-Vee
Fonda Hometown Pride Committee	$1,987	Three picnic tables for School Park in Fonda	Kent Woods, owner/manager, Wood’s Supermarket
City of Grand Mound	$1,792	Five trash receptacles along new walking path at community ballpark	Thomas Baumgartner, store director, Randy’s Neighborhood Market
City of Imogene	$2,000	Two picnic tables and two benches for between downtown Imogene and Wabash Trail	Aaron O’Brien, grocery manager, Shenandoah Fareway
Jasper County Conservation Board	$1,918	Six park benches for Mariposa Park	Steve Tielbur, grocery manager, Newton Fareway
Letts Hometown Pride Committee	$2,000	Five trash receptacles for around City of Letts	Matt Schweizer, district store director, Muscatine area Hy-Vee stores
Lexi’s Puppy Patch	$2,000	Two ADA picnic tables for Lexi’s Puppy Patch	Brian Davis, store manager, Creston Hy-Vee
Winneshiek County Conservation Board	$1,700	Three benches and two picnic tables for Lake Meyer Park	Harold Youngblood, grocery manager, Decorah Fareway

​Applications were evaluated based on set criteria that included a statement of need for the grant and the community’s own plastic bag recycling efforts. Grant applicants were also asked to verify the recycled plastic content in the products they were looking to purchase and to obtain an endorsement letter from a local grocer who is supportive of the community’s project and recycling plans.
Geographic location also played a factor as the committee sought to disperse the grant awards around the state of Iowa. Local Iowa grocers played an important role in making the grants possible. Store representatives throughout the state wrote letters of support that led to their communities being selected to receive a grant.