Walmart Canada's Project Haiti Relief raises $2.6 million

Corporate donations include $100,000 , clothing, gift cards for refugees, care kits for orphans

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 3 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada today announced it has raised and donated over $2.6 million for Project Haiti Relief, a nationwide campaign the retailer launched to generate urgently needed funds for the massive relief effort underway in Haiti following the devastating earthquake last month. The retailer launched the campaign with a $100,000 donation.

The funds were raised during a 16-day campaign that started on January 13th , the day after the earthquake struck. During the campaign, 434,295 Walmart customers and associates made contributions, with an average contribution of $5.81 . One hundred per cent of donations went to the Canadian Red Cross Haiti Earthquake fund.

Stores in Ontario collected the most money, raising almost $1 million during the campaign, while Quebec saw the largest per-store results, with an average per-store donation of $9,500 . The store that collected the most money was the Edmonton South Common Walmart, where customers and associates donated $45,000 .

"This campaign truly highlights what Canada stands for," said David Cheesewright, President and CEO of Walmart Canada . "We believe in making a positive contribution in our community. The fact that we were able to immediately open up a channel for Canadians to donate to a trusted charity, the Canadian Red Cross, to help people in dire need speaks to our corporate culture, and to how well our charitable giving program is integrated into store operations."

In addition to this national campaign, local Walmart stores across Canada initiated targeted programs to help with relief efforts in Haiti . Some highlights of these local efforts include:

    
    -   The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Walmart donated $7,000 in clothing and
        non-perishable food items to the Canadian Armed Forces who brought
        the donations to Haiti
    -   The Laval West Walmart in Quebec delivered 100 care packages valued
        at more than $4,000 to Hôpital Sainte-Justine to support the Haitian
        orphans receiving care. Packages included diapers, hygiene items,
        clothing and toys.
    -   Walmart Canada donated close to $25,000 in gift cards to the Canadian
        Red Cross Quebec Zone to assist the Haitian evacuees arriving in
        Montreal with such immediate needs as clothing and personal care
        items.
    

The retailer continues to support the Canadian Red Cross in its efforts to provide assistance to disaster victims. Canadians wishing to make donations can do so directly to the Canadian Red Cross online (www.redcross.ca/helpnow), by phone [phone]) or at any Red Cross office.

"The generosity of Canadians in response to the crisis in Haiti has been overwhelming," said Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General of the Canadian Red Cross. "We are very grateful to Walmart Canada , its customers and its associates for their immediate and timely response. This made a world of difference to our ability to deliver relief on the ground in Haiti ."

On a global level, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation has provided direct financial support as well as in-kind contributions such as donations of pre-packaged food kits, blankets and face masks, and will remain in regular contact with multiple relief organizations to seek additional ways to assist the people of Haiti .

Walmart Canada is proud to be the largest corporate sponsor of the Canadian Red Cross. The CRC responds to more than 5,000 disasters in Canada each year, from house fires to community flooding. In 2009, Walmart Canada raised more than $2.5 million for the CRC for relief efforts in Canada , and also provided gift cards to the CRC to cover the cost of purchasing relief kits for families affected by disaster.

About Walmart Canada

Walmart Canada operates a growing chain of 317 stores, serving more than one million Canadians each day. With more than 82,000 associates, the company is Canada's third-largest employer. In 2009, Walmart Canada raised and donated more than $20 million to charitable organization. Also in 2009, Walmart Canada's corporate culture was ranked among the 10 most admired corporate cultures in Canada by Waterstone Human Capital Inc.

For further information: Susan Schutta, Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada, [phone], ext. 8012