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Walmart to donate $3 million to 50 food banks
YOUNGSTOWN
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley is on track to receive $60,000 from the Walmart Foundation hunger campaign.
The Arizona-based company’s charity, along with Feeding America, launched “Fight Hunger. Spark Change,” a nationwide campaign to get the public involved in the fight against hunger. The campaign will provide $3 million in grants to participating food banks and local partner agencies associated with Feeding America, a national hunger-relief agency. That’s the monetary equivalent of more than 37 million meals.
People can support their local food banks by voting online at www.walmart.com/fight hunger, which ends Sunday. As of Wednesday, Second Harvest Food Bank is in second place with more than 8,400 votes.
Mike Iberis, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank, said he encourages the public to continue voting to get the food bank at No. 1. For assistance with voting, the public can call 330-792-5522.
“I think the people of the Mahoning Valley deserve the recognition,” he said.
The food bank won a $1 million grant from a previous Walmart hunger campaign in 2012. However, the money was to purchase equipment only.
This time, the $60,000 grant will be distributed among the pantries to buy more food, Iberis said.
As dictated by the rules, Second Harvest Food Bank is required to provide $1,500 to its top 10 partner agencies: Salem Community Pantry, South Range Council of Church and Community of North Lima, Warren Family Mission, FISH of East Liverpool, New Life Assembly of God of Poland, Niles Community Services, First Church of Christ of East Palestine, Difference Makers of Campbell, Cortland Area Cares and The Concern of Sebring.
The remaining $45,000 will be distributed to other pantries based on the number of people they will feed, Iberis added.
One out of seven Americans turns to the Feeding America network, according to a report from the hunger-relief agency. Twenty-eight percent of its clients are children under age 18. The agency serves 46.5 million people in the U.S.
“Hunger remains a serious issue in our country, as millions of Americans don’t know where their next meal will come from,” Kathleen McLaughlin, president of the Walmart Foundation, said in a statement. “We’re giving everyone in America the opportunity to make a difference by simply voting online for their local food bank.”
Furthermore, six of the nation’s largest food companies are teaming up with Walmart: General Mills, Unilever, Hormel, ConAgra Foods, PepsiCo/Quaker and Kellogg Co.