As Walmart and the Walmart Foundation continue “Walmart Gives Back,” a holiday giving initiative that will provide $32 million in monetary and in-kind donations to charitable organizations across the U.S., a refrigerator truck donated by the Walmart Foundation will arrive at Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina November 10 to help feed the families in need. The truck is one of 35 that departed from Madison, Wis., earlier this month headed to Feeding America food banks in local communities across the country.
WHAT: WALMART TRUCK AND FOOD DELIVERY TO SHFB
WHEN: NOVEMBER 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM
WHERE: SHFB Distribution Center, 406 Deep Creek Road, Fayetteville, NC
Valued at $85,000, the new truck and 12 pallets of Great Value-branded products and fresh apples will arrive in Fayetteville, NC in time for Thanksgiving, a particularly busy time for SHFB. Feeding America estimates the new trucks will help SHFB and 34 additional food banks to transport up 52.5 million pounds of food, the equivalent to 41 million additional meals, per year.
“In this economy, families and seniors across the country who rely on food banks have been hit especially hard,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “As Walmart stores continue to be the price leader on groceries, our partnership with Feeding America is helping us do our part to put more food on the dinner table. Our business and our charitable giving are united in the commitment to eradicate hunger in America.”
Walmart’s donated food trucks are in response to a call from food banks that were unable to safely transport nutritious produce, deli meat, beef, chicken, dairy and other groceries. Since last November, Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations have donated more than 90 million pounds of food – the equivalent of 70 million meals – to Feeding America food banks, exceeding the company’s goal and making Walmart Feeding America’s largest food donor.
As in years past, the majority of Walmart’s holiday giving will happen at the local level with more than $24 million donated from the Walmart Foundation to nonprofits in the communities where Walmart’s 4,000 stores and clubs are located.
