Cause Marketing/ Community Programs

With the help of Chrystal Baker from DuoDishes.com, Naylet LaRochelle from Miami has won the sixth annual Dole California Cook-Off grilling competition and a grand prize of $25,000 for her winning recipe, Breezy Indian-Spiced Chicken with Mango-Peanut Sauce, Dates and Grilled Mango.

Stater Bros. Charities is donating $150,000 to 13 local food banks and pantries in an effort to make sure children have enough to eat during the summer months when food reserves are traditionally low and when they don’t have access to meals through school food programs.

The funds were donated by Stater Bros. customers and employees this past holiday season during the Harvesting Hope in Our Community program.

The Walmart Foundation has kicked off a summer-long initiative to help children and families gain access to nutritious meals and learn healthy-eating habits. Walmart is also collaborating with Chef Lorena Garcia, chef and author with TV appearances on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” and NBC’s “Biggest Loser,” to launch the Eat Healthy Together Challenge on Twitter.

Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Meijer on Monday broke ground on a supercenter in Detroit, on the site of a former high school on the city’s west side. The groundbreaking ceremony comes less than a year after Meijer opened a supercenter at the historical Michigan State Fairgrounds in the Motor City.

Chicago -- Stego Industries, a provider of in below-slab moisture vapor protection, has launched an ambitious new company-level initiative to eliminate the carbon emissions of its business operations.

The initiative, Stego’s Carbon Footprint Project, took another step toward this goal at the American Association of Architects (AIA) National Convention in Chicago last week by purchasing carbon offsets for all of the company’s air travel in 2013 — some 115 metric tons — through the TerraPass Carbon Balanced Business Program.

In an effort to find homes for pets through its new pet adoption service, online retailer Overstock.com has launched a new video featuring animal advocate Jill Rappaport.

Rappaport is a former “Today Show” correspondent, reporting on entertainment for 17 years before turning her attention to animal issues with her segment “Bow to Wow,” which gave shelter dogs a makeover.

While Walmart and the Walton family were taking heat, again, on the national stage over worker pay and alleged stinginess, it was a different situation in Northwest Arkansas where generosity was in plain view.

The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G is underway at the Pinnacle Country Club and as has been the case in years past the LPGA golf tournament is accompanied by numerous charitable donations.

Washington, D.C. — Walmart, along with the Women's Business Enterprise National Council and WEConnect International, on Wednesday joined forces to establish a unique logo for retail packaging of products from women-owned businesses. The new logo will bring consumer recognition of products provided by women-owned businesses on store shelves both in the U.S. and international markets.