Pictured above:  Ashley Woodcock and Mandi Stone of the Walmart Distribution Center in Pottsville, PA, volunteer at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  Associates from the Walmart Distribution Center regularly volunteer their team to pack boxes at the Food Bank for those in need.

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Continues to Address Increased Need Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

HARRISBURG, PA – More than 200,000 people in central Pennsylvania are experiencing food insecurity per month in central Pennsylvania due to the ongoing economic fallout from COVID-19.  Neighbors in our community are struggling to put food on the table and many are 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 Central Pennsylvania 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 is running in story and online until 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 with donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($.10) on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank at Walmart and five meals ($.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits.  See specially marked packages for full details.

“The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has overcome immense challenges this past year and we safely provided an abundance of nutritious food to serve our neighbors in their time of need.  Walmart and Sam’s Club have been a true partner in this effort,” said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  “As we transition to the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful for Walmart, Sam’s Club and their suppliers, members and customers for their generous support. The money raised through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change campaign has provided millions of meals to communities in central Pennsylvania over the past several years and we look forward to providing hundreds of thousands more meals through this campaign in 2021.”

“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 in the 27 counties in central Pennsylvania are partnered with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  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.

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About Central Pennsylvania Food Bank
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce hunger in 27 counties across Pennsylvania. By working with more than 1,000 local agencies and partner programs, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves thousands of people in need every month. For more information on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its mission to reduce hunger in Pennsylvania, visit centralpafoodbank.org or call 717-564-1700.

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.