Walmart Announces Holiday Campaign Focused on Fighting Hunger

USA - English

• Latin America - español

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With today's USDA report reinforcing the ongoing issue of hunger in America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced more than $18 million in monetary and in-kind donations that will help fight hunger in the U.S. this holiday season. Specifically, the company and its charitable giving arm are:

1. Hosting its first nationwide food drive at all Walmart stores,
2. Calling on Facebook fans help select communities that will receive $1.5 million in grants,
3. Donating 65 refrigerator food trucks to Feeding America network food banks, and
4. Helping The Salvation Army provide meals with a $1 million donation.

The USDA report issued today shows that 1 in 6 Americans continues to be at risk of experiencing food insecurity.  Through its holiday giving initiative, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will engage the millions of Americans who shop at Walmart stores and use its Facebook page to help elevate the issue of hunger in America. This effort is an extension of the $2 billion commitment through 2015 to help end hunger in America announced by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation earlier this year.

"We must face the fact that there are people who go hungry in this country every day. These are our neighbors and people we see throughout our daily lives," said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. "This issue has to be top of mind when we sit down at dinner and when we eat breakfast, and we all have to commit to doing something to help. If all of us give one can of food or volunteer one hour at a food bank, if we all do one thing, together we can end hunger in this country."

Nationwide Food Drive (Nov. 15 to Nov. 22):  

From Nov. 15 through Nov. 22, each of Walmart's 3,700 stores nationwide will participate in the company's first in-store food drive. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the company is calling on customers to donate non-perishable food items such as protein-rich canned tuna, nuts or 100 percent juice boxes, which will in turn be donated to local food banks. To kick off the food drive, the company made the first donation -- providing more than nine truckloads of food to food banks in Houston, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Charleston, Valdosta, Ga., Tallahassee, Atlanta and Birmingham.

Hunger Relief on Facebook (Nov. 15 to Dec. 31):

From Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are encouraging people to visit Walmart's Facebook page and help decide which cities should receive $1.5 million in grants to fight hunger. Participants will choose from a list of 100 communities where hunger rates are the highest -- the city with the most support will receive $1 million in grants and the next five cities with the highest support will receive $100,000 each.  

100th Refrigerator Food Truck Donated and More on the Way:

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will give its 100th refrigerator food truck to Feeding America through a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio.  Walmart's 100th truck donation is one of 65 refrigerator food trucks that will be given to Feeding America food banks this holiday season. Valued at nearly $6 million, the refrigerator food trucks allow food banks to safely transport fresh produce, deli meat, beef, chicken, dairy and other nutritious food donated from Walmart stores and other grocers to those in need.  

Holiday Hunger Relief Grants:  

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are providing grants to organizations and nonprofits committed to fighting hunger in the United States, including a $1 million grant to The Salvation Army that will be used to purchase meals for families in-need and $4.6 million in funds to local food banks.

Additionally, Salvation Army Red Kettles will raise funds at Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations nationwide from Nov. 26 to Dec. 24.  

For more information on Walmart's commitment to hunger relief this holiday season and year-round, please visit www.walmart.com/fightinghunger or www.facebook.com/walmart.  

About Philanthropy at Walmart  

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. The Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From Feb. 1, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $512 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally, $467 million of which was donated in the U.S. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.

SOURCE Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.