Walmart donates $2.1M to support summer feeding programs

ASHBURN, Va. The Walmart Foundation has donated $2.1 million to the National Recreation and Park Association to support summer feeding programs in up to 30 park and recreation agencies across the United States, serving an estimated 4.9 million meals to children in 2010 and 2011, Walmart announced.

The grant is part of Walmart’s recently announced $2 billion commitment to help end hunger in America through its “Fighting Hunger Together” initiative, which includes $250 million pledged to support hunger relief organizations at the national, state and local levels through 2015. “At Walmart, we're committed to fighting child hunger. We know millions of kids who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year are at risk of going hungry in the summer months,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “Through our partnership with NRPA, we'll be able to ensure that nearly 5 million kids in need will receive nutritious meals.”

Each year for a period of two years, NRPA will award grants to 15 park and recreation agencies for feeding programs that will provide a combined 111,962 meals per day to qualified children in the summer months. The list of cities benefiting from this gift in 2010 include Albuquerque, N.M.; Atlanta, Ga.; Austin, Texas; Bakersfield, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; Columbus, Ohio; Greenville, S.C.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Montgomery, Ala.; Portland, Ore.; San Diego, Calif.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; and Wichita, Kan.