Walmart and Sam’s Club Fight Hunger. Spark Change Campaign Returns to Eastern Iowa to Help People Facing Hunger

Published: March 5, 2024 | 9:39 AM CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - Everyone needs nutritious food to thrive, and in every community in America, people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families. Yet in 2022, 44 million people - 1 in 7 people - faced food insecurity in the U.S.

Those are the highest numbers in a decade, underscoring the need for more charitable food assistance in Eastern Iowa and beyond.

Now, for the 11th straight year, all U.S. Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs are launching the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, with the goal of providing people facing hunger with access to the food and resources they say they need to thrive. Since its inception in 2014, the campaign has generated more than $186 million and helped secure nearly 1.9 billion meals* for the Feeding America® network of local food banks.

“Our neighbors are facing difficult times, and are struggling to find their next meal. HACAP Food Reservoir is incredibly grateful for Walmart, Sam’s Club, their associates, suppliers, customers and members who helped to support the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign,” said Kim Guardado, HACAP Food Reservoir Director.

The campaign will run in stores and online from April 1-April 29, with three ways for shoppers to participate:

• By donating at check-out in stores or clubs or round up at Walmart.com and the Walmart app.
• By purchasing participating products in-store or online at Walmart.com or SamsClub.com. For every purchase of a participating product, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America partner food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details.
• By donating at Feeding America’s Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign donation site at either FeedingAmerica.org/Walmart or FeedingAmerica.org/SamsClub

“Serving communities and expanding access to affordable, healthy food lies at the heart of Walmart and Sam’s Club's purpose to help people live better,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Walmart and President, Walmart Foundation. "Our annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign is a way that we invite our customers, members and suppliers to fight hunger alongside us. The funds raised through this campaign go toward local Feeding America food banks, meaning we can all make a difference in our own neighborhoods."

The 20 participating suppliers for Walmart include: Bush Brothers & Company; CELSIUS® Essential Energy Drink; The Coca-Cola Company; Conagra Brands; Dole Packaged Foods; Ferrara; Ferrero; General Mills; Hain Celestial; Hershey Salty Snacks; Hidden Valley Ranch; Kellanova; W.K. Kellogg Company; Keurig Dr Pepper; Kodiak; Kraft Heinz; Monster Energy; Pepsi-Cola Advertising & Marketing, Inc.; Unilever

The 8 participating suppliers for Sam’s Club include: General Mills; W.K. Kellogg Company; Kraft Heinz; Nestlé; Nissin; Nongshim; Palmetto Gourmet Foods, A Borealis Foods Company; Unilever

*Currently, $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks.

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