Walmart donates $1.7M to Food Bank of P.R. after Hurricane María
The contribution of approximately 614,000 pounds of canned chicken, turkey, ham, sausages and ham,
As part of its global commitment to fight hunger, and at the local level, following the passage of Hurricanes Irma and María, Walmart delivered to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico a donation of 16 containers of canned meats valued at $1.7 million to be distributed among the organizations that it helps throughout the island.
The contribution of approximately 614,000 pounds of canned chicken, turkey, ham, sausages and ham, is an additional contribution to the weekly donations the company has made since 2009 company to the charity through its Walmart, Sam’s Club and Amigo operations, said Viviana Mercado, senior manager of Corporate Affairs of Walmart Puerto Rico.
“Before the hurricanes, almost half of the population in Puerto Rico suffered from food insecurity, including thousands of children who went to bed without eating every day,” Mercado said.
“The emergency worsened this reality, so, we mobilized to make this donation and help mitigate the hunger of thousands of families around the island through the Food Bank,” she added.
This donation from Walmart will result in some 451,691 meals, and will benefit 102,338 four-member families, representing some 409,352 people who will receive a 1.5-pound portion of varied products through the 19 Food Bank programs, including La Mochila Alegre, emergency purchases, the elderly, children, the disabled, people with HIV and the homeless, among others.
For her part, Ivonne Bernard, executive director of the Food Bank of Puerto Rico, said “thanks to Walmart’s support for so many years, we’ve been able to impact thousands of Puerto Ricans on the island who lack the economic resources to feed themselves. Walmart’s help after the hurricanes has been vital to be able to benefit families who, after the emergency, were left without a roof and resources to buy food.”
This contribution to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico is added to other aid Walmart has doled out, estimated at more than $7 million, to other charities for relief and rescue tasks after the passage of Hurricane María.
Mercado urged consumers to join its “Fight Hunger. Spark Change” campaign that Walmart is sponsoring for the fifth consecutive year in the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico, jointly with participating suppliers. The goal is to collect the equivalent of 200 million meals that will be distributed among the 200 food banks belonging to the Feeding America network.
