Walmart taps Facebook users to help fight hunger

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said it will present more than $1.5 million to nonprofits in six U.S. communities, thanks to Facebook users' help with the retailer's commitment to fight hunger through 2015.

Walmart's Fighting Hunger Together campaign called on Facebook users to go to Walmart.com/fighthunger and "like" one of the 100 hungriest communities in the United States, as ranked by the Food Research and Action Center. More than 10 million votes were cast during the campaign, which ran from Nov. 15 through Dec. 31.

Community organizations in Salt Lake City; Fresno, Calif.; Columbia, S.C.; Ogden, Utah; Charleston, S.C.; and Bakersfield, Calif., will use the funds to provide more than 11 million meals to families in need.

The Facebook campaign is part of Walmart's $2 billion commitment to help fight hunger through 2015.

"When you look at the sheer number of people affected by hunger in our nation, the issue seems insurmountable. But, if everyone gets involved and we work together, we can overcome it," said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. "Our Facebook campaign is a single example of the success we can achieve when corporate, community and nonprofit entities come together and work with millions of Americans toward the common goal of ending hunger in this country."