The Reason Walmart Is Planning To Donate $12 Million To Hunger Relief

This has been an exceptionally difficult year, with the pandemic causing unprecedented financial difficulties for many families across the country. According to Feeding America, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans are facing hunger as a result of COVID-19, and 80 percent of food banks are serving more people than they did a year ago. The pandemic has led to an increased demand for the essential services food banks provide, which is why the Walmart Foundation just announced their plan to donate $12 million to the hunger-relief organization Feeding America (via Walmart).

"The holidays are a time of giving, but they are also a time of great need. Food insecurity continues to plague families and individuals across the country... food banks and pantries are having difficulties keeping up with demand. To help organizations meet this increased demand during the holidays and beyond, the Walmart Foundation is granting Feeding America $12 million over two years," the superstore explained on their corporate blog.

Walmart plans to distribute the grant to the organization over the next two years, as well as expand their Order Ahead click-and-collect app capabilities. The app enables food-insecure individuals to order from food banks ahead of time and receive their products via delivery or at a designated pick-up location, which helps reduce food waste and cuts down on lengthy lines and long wait times at food banks. The company is also encouraging Sam's Club and their affiliated distribution centers to commit funds and donations as well.

"The Walmart Foundation grant to Feeding America will support critical work that aims to reduce barriers and increase access to food assistance for people facing hunger ... The grant will also provide significant capacity investments for several member food banks to increase the amount of food they are able to source and distribute to people in need in their communities, as well as support digital ads and one-on-one application assistance for those in need of benefits and resources," Walmart wrote.

"We are tremendously grateful to Walmart and the Walmart Foundation for their generous support and their long-standing commitment to fighting hunger in every community across the country. Their support has been transformational for the fight to end hunger," Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot said of the donation.

Walmart joins other grocery chains like Publix, which recently announced its own plan to donate 1.3 million pounds of food to local food banks, in a mission to offset the food insecurity crisis.