Walmart commits to ending hunger in America

WASHINGTON Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced a $2 billion cash and in-kind commitment to programs aimed at ending hunger in America.

According to the company, the new five-year initiative, "Fighting Hunger Together," includes four key components:

    * Donating more than 1.1 billion pounds of food from Walmart stores, distribution centers and Sam's Club locations, valued at $1.75 billion;    * Grants totaling $250 million to support hunger relief organizations at the national, state and local levels;    * Mobilizing Walmart associates and customers. For example, Walmart's logistics team will lend their expertise to help food banks become more efficient in their operations; and    * Collaboration with government, food manufacturers and other corporations that are fighting hunger to increase impact and reach a greater number of families in need.

"Increasingly, we see opportunities to use our scale and reach to solve challenges in our communities. This is one of those times," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, Walmart's vice chairman. "By working together, we believe we can reach a day where no individual in this country has to go to bed hungry or worry if there will be food to put on the table tomorrow."