Big Y in the News
Big Y Foods, Inc. is one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England. Big Y operates 84 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut including 71 supermarkets, Fresh Acres Market, Table & Vine Fine Wines and Liquors and 10 Big Y Express gas and convenience locations with almost 12,000 employees. Big Y has been recognized by Forbes as a Best-in-State Employer in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as Employer of Choice by the Employers Association of the Northeast. Founded in 1936 by brothers Paul and Gerald D'Amour, the store was named after an intersection in Chicopee, Massachusetts where two roads converge to form a "Y".
Big Y in the News contains excerpts from press releases that have been sent to local media.
Big Y’s Big Vax Week
Make Big Y Your Vaccination Location.™
SPRINGFIELD, MA [September 23, 2021] – From September 26 until October 2, every Big Y World Class Market location will hold an on-site multi vaccine clinic for all customers, employees and their families (check local stores for specific dates and times). All stores will offer seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines and stores with an on-site pharmacy also offer a variety of vaccines including seasonal flu, pneumonia, shingles, COVIOD Tdap, Hepatitis A and B, meningococcal, MMR and HPV. Further details are available on bigy.com where each location’s specific times are listed. No appointments are necessary.
This first-ever community wide event spans every one of Big Y’s 71 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. All locations, including those that have a pharmacy, will have a specific clinic day during Big Vax Week where patients who receive a vaccine from their trained pharmacists will receive a Big Y Coupon for $5 off of $25 as well as other giveaways.
Big Y’s vaccination program continues to grow. Over the past 5 years alone, they’ve administered 152,000 doses of various vaccines. For those who might be interested, CDC guidance states that it is acceptable to receive 2 or more of these different vaccines at the same time making it more convenient for all. When approved, Big Y will administer COVID booster shots at all Big Y pharmacy locations regardless of where someone received their original COVID vaccine whether from Big Y or another pharmacy, retailer or clinic. Big Y follows state and federal approved age limits for all vaccines.
In addition to a full array of prescriptions, consultation and pharmacy services, Big Y’s pharmacy team has been administering vaccines for many years. They’ve held clinics at schools, senior centers, manufacturing facilities, business offices, and worked with many city and State Departments of Public Health. Recently in Massachusetts, they have been chosen to be the vaccination providers for schools in Springfield, schools and clinics for the town of East Longmeadow, as well as Wilbraham and Hampden. Currently, there are more vaccine clinics scheduled in the near future.
According to Big Y’s president and CEO, Charles L. D’Amour, “The safety and health of everyone in our region is so vitally important to us that we are excited to offer our first-ever Big Y Big Vax Week to everyone: our customers, employees and their families. Our professional pharmacy staff has been working hard to be able to provide this essential service in each of our neighborhoods at every one of our 71 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. This week-long event provides a convenient way for anyone to receive one of many vaccines to keep our community healthy. Big Y’s Big Vax Week is one more way we’ve been serving our community for over 85 years.”
Another unique element of Big Y’s vaccination program provides valuable clinical experience for health care students at local colleges such as Elms College School of Nursing, Western New England University College of Pharmacy, and Gateway’s and Porter and Chester Institute’s Nursing Programs. Since last January, Big Y’s pharmacists along with these teams have administered close to 50,000 COVID vaccines alone.
Amanda Pelland, RPh from Big Y World Class Market in Northampton is excited about the upcoming Big Vax Week. She says, “Vaccinations are vital in keeping our community healthy during this unprecedented time. Offering them at all of our Big Y locations, makes it convenient for shoppers to get their groceries and vaccinations in one trip. Our customers express their appreciation for our service numerous times for all vaccines including COVID. They appreciate our organized vaccine triage and our personal and professional staff.”
Customer comments from those clinics include: “We were vaccinated at Big Y. What a great experience and professional job the Big Y and Elms College teams did. It was fast, efficient and like all employees of Big Y, they cared about our comfort and well-being.” Another wrote: “Just wanted to thank you and commend Big Y for the excellent COVID-19 vaccine clinic. We found it to be an orderly, efficient and polite organization and cannot thank you enough for myself and my husband.”
And a Big Y employee wrote: “I am beyond impressed with how ready Big Y was in getting their employees vaccinated and one step closer to being a ‘safe’ community. Thank you so much for being on top of things, organized and caring about your employees with this health matter. I didn’t have to lift a finger to get my vaccine.”
All details for Big Y’s Big Vax Week clinics are available at bigy.com