Walmart Donates Over $7 million to New Jersey Charitable Organizations

On May 13, 2016

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced that over the last fiscal year they gave more than $7,000,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to support nonprofit organizations and programs in New Jersey focused on fighting hunger and healthy eating, workforce development, disaster preparedness, and other needs specific to many communities in the state.

“An important part of working at Walmart is participating in community programs,” says Tracy Ferschweiler, Walmart Market Manager for Metro NY/NJ. “We’re always holding fundraisers, participating in charitable events, donating to local food banks, you name it. I feel well connected to the community through the work we do here.”

The New Jersey contributions are one piece of the $1.42 billion dollars total giving by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation during FY16. The contributions have furthered Walmart’s “whole systems” approach to continue advancing its commitments to creating economic opportunity for associates and others in the retail and related sectors, enhancing the sustainability of Walmart’s operations and product supply chain, and strengthening communities in places where Walmart operates.

“We take pride in helping outstanding nonprofits support people in need,” says Sherry Thomas, Walmart Market Manager for Southern New Jersey. “And when citizens join in our efforts, such as through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, that makes it even more rewarding.”

In New Jersey, contributions made by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation support local nonprofits like the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark, Inc., and Food Bank of New Jersey.

In October 2014, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced a commitment to help feed a growing planet by enhancing the sustainability of the food system. The commitment will further Walmart’s goals of fighting hunger in the U.S. by improving access to food and includes a goal to provide four billion meals to those in need between 2015 and 2020. As part of that commitment, this fiscal year Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated 609 million pounds of food and $1.2 billion in funding to organizations working to alleviate hunger.

In New Jersey, Walmart donated 3,175,735 pounds of food to local food banks—nearly 2,650,000 meals – in the 2016 fiscal year. The retailer and its Foundation have collaborated with Food Bank of New Jersey in the state to provide hunger-fighting programs for children over the summer.

“Our gift from Walmart helped us continue providing meals to children and seniors throughout the year,” said Val Traore, CEO of Food Bank of New Jersey. “Their support means so much not just to us, but the communities we serve as well.”

For more information about the Walmart Foundation’s giving, visit giving.walmart.com/foundation.

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