FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jessica Sund
Director of Development and Communications
Phone: 507.269.2885
Email: [email protected]
Rochester, MN July 16th, 2021 – Our 14-county region helped to raise more than $61,000 for local families in need through Walmart and Sam’s Club’s Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. In its eighth year, Walmart and Sam’s Club associates engaged their customers and members, along with 27 participating suppliers to help fight hunger and feed hope.
“Our neighbors are facing difficult times, and one in nine in Minnesota are struggling to find their next meal. Channel One Regional Food Bank is incredibly grateful for Walmart, Sam’s Club, their associates, suppliers, customers and members who helped to support the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign,” said Virginia Merritt, executive director of Channel One.
Each Walmart and Sam’s Club was matched with at least one of 200 local Feeding America® member food banks. Through the campaign, shoppers made monetary donations at checkout or purchased participating items in stores or online to benefit their local food bank. For every participating product purchased, the participating supplier made a donation to Channel One Regional Food Bank.
“Hunger is an issue that impacts every community in our country and the pandemic has exacerbated this issue,” said Maria Zazycki, senior manager at Walmart.org. “Through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, we provide everyone the opportunity to join the fight to end hunger in their communities. We are grateful to our customers, members, suppliers and associates for supporting their local food bank.”
The 27 participating suppliers for the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign were: Abbott, Bodyarmor, Bush Brothers & Company, Campbell Soup Company, Clif Bar & Company, Ferrera Candy Company, General Mills, GoGo squeeZ, Great Value, Iovate Health Sciences, J.M. Smucker, Kellogg’s, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Kitu Coffee, Kraft Heinz, Mighty Spark, Monster Energy, PepsiCo, Post Consumer Brands, Purina, Simply Good Foods, Strong Roots, The Coca-Cola Company, The Clorox Company, This Saves Lives, Unilever and United States Nutrition.
More than $26.5 million was raised this year through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. Funds will benefit 200 Feeding America member food banks nationwide. Walmart kickstarted the campaign with a $3 million donation, most of which supported food banks in communities with the highest rates of food insecurity and racial and access disparities.
To learn more about how you can join the fight to end hunger, visit helpingfeedpeople.org
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About Channel One Regional Food Bank
Channel One Regional Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, strengthens food access and builds healthy communities. Channel One operates food programs to serve local and area needs such as: a food bank, a food shelf, mobile pantries, Childhood Hunger Programs, and the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS). Channel One Regional Food Bank mobilizes organizations, volunteers, and donors to serve the network of more than 200 nonprofit programs that provide food for children, adults, and families in need. Channel One serves 14 counties across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. For more information, call 507.287.2350 or visit helpingfeedpeople.org
About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By focusing where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social and environmental issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 24 countries, employs more than 2.2 million associates and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, advance equity, address hunger, build inclusive economic opportunity for people in supply chains, protect and restore nature, reduce waste and emissions, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg.
About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club®, a division of Walmart, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products, savings and services to millions of members in nearly 600 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Now in its 37th year, Sam’s Club continues to redefine warehouse shopping with its highly curated assortment of high-quality fresh food and Member’s Mark items, in addition to market leading technologies and services like Scan & Go, Club Pickup and home delivery service in select markets. To learn more about Sam’s Club, visit the Sam’s Club Newsroom, shop at SamsClub.com, and interact with Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
