Walmart Canada launches 6th annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign to help keep communities fed

Walmart to match donations up to $820,000

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 22, 2022 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada is kicking off its 6^th annual national 'Fight Hunger. Spark Change.' campaign to raise funds for Food Banks Canada. Until March 16, the retailer hopes to raise enough funds to provide more than 10 million meals to help communities experiencing food insecurity.

Food Banks Canada supports a unique network of over 4,700 food-related organizations and agencies in every province and territory that assists Canadians making 1.3 million visits to food banks each month.

Customers are invited to join in the fight against hunger by:

• Purchasing select products in-store and online. A donation will be made to Food Banks Canada, up to a maximum of $1.2 million. Partners include: Campbell, Mars Canada, KraftHeinz, Kellogg's, Conagra, Danone, Maple Leaf, General Mills, Dare, Pepsi, Mondelez, Ferrero, Coca Cola, Unilever, Grupo Bimbo.
• Donating at the register or adding a cash donation to online grocery orders
• Donating non-perishable food items in-store at their local Walmart store

Walmart Canada will also match customer donations, up to a maximum of $820,000.

The ongoing pandemic has seen an increase in the number of people visiting food banks across the country. In many cases, it's families who never imagined they would need food banks, using them for the first time.

"Walmart Canada is proud to continue partnering with Food Banks Canada to strengthen the communities where our associates and customers live every day," said Horacio Barbeito, president and CEO, Walmart Canada. "As we strive to become a regenerative company, we want to ensure all communities have access to nutritious meals and this campaign helps achieve that goal. We hope our giving spirit will encourage customers to give generously and help make this year's campaign our best yet."

Every Walmart store across Canada is paired with a local food bank in their community and all funds raised stay local. Since the inception of the campaign in 2017, Walmart Canada, its suppliers and its customers have provided more than 60 million meals for people in Canada, from coast-to-coast, building on the more than 30 million pounds of food Walmart has donated to food banks.

"We're grateful to partners like Walmart Canada and their Fight Hunger Spark Change campaign. For the sixth year in a row, they're demonstrating their commitment to helping us work toward our vision of a hunger-free Canada coast-to-coast-coast." Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada

About Walmart Canada 
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada was recently recognized as a LinkedIn Top Company of 2021 and was also named one of Canada's most popular brands (based on Google searches). Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $500 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca and on Walmart Canada's social media pages – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 4,700 food banks and community agencies come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who – last year – made 1.3 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report. Over the past 10 years, as a system we've sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food and Food Banks Canada shared nearly $168 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity – while advocating for reducing the need for food banks. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/ to learn more or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Walmart Canada Corp.

Felicia Fefer, Walmart Canada, [email protected]; Jessica Rattray, Food Banks Canada, [email protected]