Are you sitting down? If not find a comfy spot with your bottom solidly planted, or be prepared to drop to the ground when I tell you this….
Announced this week on Capitol Hill with much deserved fanfare, Wal-Mart announced a $2 billion cash and in-kind commitment to fight hunger in America. The five year initiative is called Fighting Hunger Together and takes charitable giving to a whole new level.
The donation will go to Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity which has a network of more than 200 food banks around the country, serving 37 million people per year.
As quoted in a news release, Walmart’s Vice Chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright said, “Increasingly, we see opportunities to use our scale and reach to solve challenges in our communities. This is one of those times. By working together, we believe we can reach a day where no individual in this country has to go to bed hungry or worry if there will be food to put on the table tomorrow.”
Here are the highlights of where all of that money is going:
- Walmart will donate over 1.1 billion pounds of food from Walmart stores, distribution centers and Sam’s Club locations. This has a value of $1.75 billion.
- Walmart has promised grants totaling $250 million to support hunger relief organizations at the national, state and local levels.
In addition to writing a big ol’ check, there’s more the super store is doing. They are tapping their collective brain power:
- Walmart’s logistics team will lend their expertise to help food banks become more efficient in their operations.
- In collaboration with government, food manufacturers and other corporations that are fighting hunger, Walmart will work to increase impact and reach a greater number of families in need.
Makin’ Sam proud!
Check out the whole press release here.
To learn more about Walmart’s Foundation, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.
Read more Dollars & Sense.
Images courtesy Walmart and Feeding America.