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Austin Hy-Vee distributed more than 5,700 free peaches during a contactless, drive-thru giveaway event Tuesday morning.

“Hy-Vee has always been about giving back to the communities they serve,” said John Senn, senior sales representative for SunWest Fruit Company, through a press release issued Monday. “We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to deliver high quality produce to communities in need.”

During the event, peaches were loaded directly into customer vehicles to minimize physical contact and maintain social distancing.

According to Austin Store Director Britt Fossum, the enthusiasm for the give away was clear from the get go.

People started lining up around 8:45 a.m; well before the start time of 10 a.m. The line that had formed by 10 a.m. stretched through the Younkers parking lot and past Taqueria El Sueno and forced the formation of two lines.

But it was all worth it, Fossum said.

“In different ways we want to help the community and brighten smiles of people during this time,” Fossum said as vehicles rolled past.

The giveaway was made possible thanks to Hy-Vee’s fruit supplier SunWest Fruit Company, who donated the peaches in light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. More than 280 customers received nearly 20 peaches for a total donation of approximately 1,600 pounds.

“We greatly appreciate SunWest Fruit Company partnering with us to better serve our customers and surrounding communities during this difficult time,” said Tina Potthoff, Hy-Vee’s senior vice president of communications. “We hope this donation provides some relief to our customers, especially as more families become financially impacted during this time.”

This contribution is part of a series of donations that Hy-Vee and its suppliers are making to local communities and food banks across Hy-Vee’s eight-state region during the COVID-19 pandemic.