Walmart, suppliers join Fight Against Hunger initiative
As part of its commitment to continue eradicating hunger at the local level to contribute to the well-being of communities on the island, Walmart Puerto Rico and a group of its suppliers are carrying out the Fight Against Hunger initiative with the goal of raising funds for the Puerto Rico Food Bank (PRFB), whose vision is Hunger Free Puerto Rico.
It is estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic increased food insecurity on the island to 40% due to, among other factors, the interruption in the supply chain and the loss of income in the population, 43.5% of which live below the poverty level because of national emergencies such as the passage of hurricanes Irma and María in 2017 and the earthquakes in the southwest area in 2020.
“Contributing to eradicating hunger is also one of our corporate pillars, so through our Fight Against Hunger initiative, we will be bringing together several of our suppliers and with the support of citizens, we will raise funds that are essential for the Puerto Rico Food Bank to continue distributing food around the island,” said Viviana Mercado, senior manager of Corporate Affairs for Walmart Puerto Rico.
Through the Fight Against Hunger initiative, Holsum Puerto Rico, Efraín Núñez, Los Cidrines, Ballester Hermanos Inc., Plaza Provision Co., Puerto Rico Supplies Group y V. Suarez brands will donate up to .25 cents for each participating product that is sold in Walmart and Amigo stores across Puerto Rico until May 31, 2022.
“We invite the public to join this campaign, so that we all contribute to this cause and actively collaborate so that the Food Bank can continue to assist hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican families to bring food to their homes,” said Mercado, who added that since 2009, the company has supported this organization on a recurring and significant basis through millions of dollars in donations of pounds of food, the donation of a refrigerated truck for the transportation of products to the entities and fundraising campaigns.
Between 2020 and 2021, the PRFB distributed 11.8 million pounds of food to agencies, communities, children, the elderly, and university students, impacting some 2.1 million people in the 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra.
