Walmart helps fight hunger this holiday

BENTONVILLE, Ark. Walmart announced that it will donate more than $18 million in monetary and in-kind donations to help fight hunger in the United States this holiday season.

"We must face the fact that there are people who go hungry in this country every day. These are our neighbors and people we see throughout our daily lives," said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. "This issue has to be top of mind when we sit down at dinner and when we eat breakfast, and we all have to commit to doing something to help. If all of us give one can of food or volunteer one hour at a food bank, if we all do one thing, together we can end hunger in this country."

From Nov. 15 through Nov. 22, each of Walmart's 3,700 stores nationwide will participate in the company's first in-store food drive, the company reported. From Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are encouraging people to visit Walmart's Facebook page and help decide which cities should receive $1.5 million in grants to fight hunger. Participants will choose from a list of 100 communities where hunger rates are the highest -- the city with the most support will receive $1 million in grants and the next five cities with the highest support will receive $100,000 each. 

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will give its 100th refrigerator food truck to Feeding America through a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio, the company reported. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are providing grants to organizations and nonprofits committed to fighting hunger in the United States, including a $1 million grant to The Salvation Army that will be used to purchase meals for families in-need and $4.6 million in funds to local food banks.