FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Williams, Communications Manager
nwilliams@cfbnj.org / 908-355-3663 ext. 282
Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Walmart, Sam’s Club and Feeding
America Launch “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” Campaign to Combat Hunger in
New Jersey
HILLSIDE, NJ, April 22, 2019 – One in eight Americans in communities across the U.S. struggle with hunger, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including 900,000 people in New Jersey alone. To raise awareness and combat the issue, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Feeding America® and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey are kicking off the sixth annual nationwide “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” (FHSC) campaign, which will run from April 22 to May 20.
In partnership with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Walmart and Sam’s Club now invite New Jersey shoppers to help fight hunger in their local community. There are three ways to participate – purchasing a participating item in-store or online, donating in-store or donating on Feeding America’s website.
With 749 million meals achieved over the last five years, New Jersey customers and members can help the Feeding America network secure its 1 billion cumulative meals goal in three ways. They can track the number of meals by visiting www.walmart.com/fighthunger.
- For every participating product purchased at U.S. Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs or on Walmart.com during the campaign, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank, up to applicable limits.
- Donate money to your local Feeding America food bank at participating Sam’s Club and Walmart stores in the U.S.
- Donate at feedingamerica.org/Walmart.
Walmart kickstarted the campaign with a $3 million donation to Feeding America and member food banks including the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. A purchase of one of the 267 participating items helps secure the equivalent of one meal. Each Walmart and Sam’s Club will partner with at least one Feeding America local food bank, and the 18 participating suppliers include: Bush Brothers, Campbell’s, Conagra Brands, Cliff Bar, General Mills, Gold Peak Tea, Great Value, Hidden Valley, JM Smucker, Kellogg, Kraft Heinz, McCormick, Motts, PepsiCo, Post, Uncle Ben’s, Nature Nate’s Honey and Unilever.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey is also a recipient of the campaign’s Local Storytelling and Planning and Activation Grant. The funds will be used to set up photo exhibitions in the FoodBank’s Hillside and Egg Harbor Township warehouses, featuring personal stories of people whose lives have been touched by the FoodBank’s work. Kickoff events will be held on Tuesday, April 23 in Egg Harbor Township and on April 25 in Hillside. Volunteers from Walmart and other local companies and schools will learn about the FoodBank’s work and see firsthand the impact that it has on the lives of our neighbors in need.
“The Community FoodBank of New Jersey is grateful to Walmart and Sam’s Club for their ongoing generosity and their commitment to being part of the solution to hunger in New Jersey,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “We are especially excited about the storytelling opportunity that this grant provides, allowing us to showcase potent impact stories that prove that the face hunger is often unexpected.”
“As we go into our sixth year of the ‘Fight Hunger. Spark Change.’ campaign, it’s exciting to approach the 1 billion mark in terms of charitable meals secured for Feeding America over the life of the program,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, chief sustainability officer for Walmart. “Food insecurity continues to affect communities across the United States. Working with Feeding America, our customers, members, associates and suppliers, Walmart and Sam’s Club aim to be part of the solution.”
To learn more about the campaign visit www.walmart.com/fighthunger.
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About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 275 million customers and members visit our more than 11,300 stores under 58 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2019 revenue of $514.4 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About The Community FoodBank of New Jersey
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for over 40 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 47 million meals through its network of more than 1,000 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living.