LA Regional Food Bank Continues to Address Increased Need Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Los Angeles, April 5, 2021 – Approximately 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County could experience food insecurity in 2021 due to the ongoing economic fallout from COVID-19. Neighbors in our community are struggling to put food on the table – many facing this difficult reality for the first time in their lives.

That is why Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the Feeding America® nationwide network of food banks, including the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign.  Now in its eighth year, the campaign has been a way for Walmart and Sam’s Club to partner with suppliers, customers and members to help provide food to people in need.

The Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign will run in store and online from April 5 – May 3, 2021. There are three easy ways for customers and members to participate:

• Donate at check-out in stores and clubs, or at either www.FeedingAmerica.org/Walmart or www.FeedingAmerica.org/SamsClub.
• Round-up at check-out on Walmart.com and the Walmart app.
• For every participating product purchased in-store or online at Walmart.com or SamsClub.com, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details.

“Los Angeles County has faced a number of challenges this past year, and we have worked hard to serve our neighbors in their time of need. Walmart and Sam’s Club have been a true partner in this effort,” said Roger Castle, Chief Development Officer of the LA Regional Food Bank. The LA Regional Food Bank is grateful for Walmart, Sam’s Club and their suppliers, members and customers for their generous support.”

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the LA Regional Food Bank now reaches 900,000 people each month – nearly one-tenth of LA County’s population. The Food Bank’s critical work is made possible with the help of 700+ Partner Agencies, generous donors and volunteers from the community.

“Fighting hunger means more than just feeding people. It means helping them on a path to fulfill their potential, because nutritious food is the foundation for good health and wellbeing,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart.

“Central to our mission at Walmart is helping people live better and that includes ensuring they have access to nutritious food. In its eighth year, Fight Hunger. Spark Change. continues to provide communities a way to support local food banks alongside their neighbors, trusted brands and their local Walmart and Sam’s Club.”

Each Walmart and Sam’s Club will partner with at least one local Feeding America food bank, and the 27 participating suppliers include: Abbott, Bodyarmor, Bush Brothers & Company, Campbell Soup Company, Clif Bar & Company, Ferrera Candy Company, General Mills, Great Value, Iovate Health Sciences, J.M. Smucker, Kellogg’s, Keurig/Mott’s, Kitu Coffee, Kraft Heinz, Materne North America, Mighty Spark, Monster Energy, PEPSICO, Post Consumer Brands, Purina, Simply Good Foods, Strong Roots, The Coca-Cola Company, The Clorox Company, This Saves Lives, Unilever and United States Nutrition.

# # #

About the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has been mobilizing resources to fight hunger in Los Angeles County since 1973. To support the Food Bank’s vision that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles County, food and grocery products are distributed through a network of 700 partner agencies and directly to those in need through Food Bank programs. The Food Bank has distributed more than 1.7 billion pounds of food, the equivalent of 1.4 billion meals, since 1973. The total value of food and grocery product distributed since the Food Bank’s inception is $2.3 billion. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food Bank tripled the number of people helped, and now reaches 900,000 people every month. The Food Bank is a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator. For more information, visit LAFoodBank.org.

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 265 million customers and members visit approximately 11,500 stores under 56 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 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 corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.

Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club®, a division of Walmart, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products, savings and services to millions of members in nearly 600 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Now in its 37th year, Sam’s Club continues to redefine warehouse shopping with its highly curated assortment of high-quality fresh food and Member’s Mark items, in addition to market leading technologies and services like Scan & Go, Club Pickup and home delivery service in select markets. To learn more about Sam’s Club, visit the Sam’s Club Newsroom, shop at SamsClub.com, and interact with Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.

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.