Santee Walmart Plans to Add Fresh Produce, Deli and Bakery
Walmart in Santee, one of San Diego County’s oldest stores, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with plans to expand both its size and products. The store is in the process of getting approval to add square footage to the building that would allow Walmart to add fresh produce, meats, a deli and a bakery to its offerings. The new additions would create about 85 permanent jobs, and dozens of temporary ones during the construction.
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read moreWalmart Giving in Last Fiscal Year Exceeds $1 Billion for the First Time
In California, Walmart Provided More than $26 Million to Charitable Organizations
During Last Fiscal Year
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced that over the last fiscal year they gave more than $1 billion in cash and in-kind contributions, making it the first time Walmart or any U.S. retailer has achieved that level of giving. The growth in global giving was largely due to increased in-kind donations in the U.S. to local food banks and families impacted by disasters. In California, Walmart gave more than $26 million supporting nonprofits like Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, Alpha Project, San Diego River Park Foundation and Girl Scouts of San Diego.
“Walmart is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships with nonprofit organizations throughout California,” stated Kim Sentovich, Senior Vice President of the Pacific Division of Walmart. “Together we are tackling important issues like hunger, economic opportunity, and sustainability, and making a positive impact on the lives of millions of people across our state.”
In 2010, Walmart announced a historic $2 billion commitment of cash and in-kind gifts to hunger relief organizations in the U.S. through 2015. In California, Walmart donated 10.2 million pounds of food to local food banks—nearly 8.5 million meals in the last fiscal year, contributing to the 351 million meals contributed to local food banks across America. The retailer and its Foundation have partnered with organizations such as Casa Familiar in San Diego to support the organization’s community kitchen, which provides a range of healthy food options to needy families.
Overall, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation’s total global contributions of $1.08 billion in the last fiscal year include:
- U.S. giving of $1 billion in cash and in-kind gifts, up from $872.7 million last year
- More than 351 million meals to local food banks through Feeding America
- $1.9 million in grants to Share Our Strength to provide 122,000 families the skills and resources needed to prepare healthy, affordable meals
- Our stores and clubs gave $4.9 million toward first responders, including nearly $3 million toward local law enforcement
- $106.4 million in cash and in-kind gifts given by Sam’s Club and the Sam’s Club Giving Program
- Helped 3,600 small-business owners get the training they need to succeed
- Provided grants to nonprofit partners that enabled 265 small-business loans
- International giving of $82.2 million in cash and in-kind gifts
In addition to the more than $1 billion from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation, Walmart and Sam’s Club customers and associates around the world raised $156.3 million for local organizations such as the Salvation Army and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. During the 2012 holiday season alone, our associates and customers in the U.S. raised nearly $45 million during the Red Kettle campaign to benefit local chapters of the Salvation Army, accounting for more than 30 percent of the organization’s Red Kettle fundraising. Our associates and customers also made a difference for nearly 17 million kids across the nation by raising more than $51 million for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals last fiscal year.
“No one should have to choose between paying the bills and feeding their families,” said Jennifer Tracy, Executive Director of the San Diego Hunger Coalition. Walmart understands the importance of ensuring that no San Diegan goes hungry. With the grant we received from Walmart, we were able to help keep more than 8,000 families in our community remain healthy and fed.”
For a state-by-state breakdown of giving, or more information about the Walmart Foundation, visit http://foundation.walmart.com.
Game on: Why Walmart is ranking suppliers on sustainability
This is the first of a three-part series about Walmart’s supplier sustainability index.
Since launching its sustainability program in 2006, Walmart has reduced energy consumption in its stores, installed solar panels on its rooftops, curbed emissions from its trucks and recycled millions of tons of its trash. Now that the world’s biggest retailer has streamlined its own operations, it is turning its attention elsewhere — actually, almost everywhere.
Since last fall, Walmart has rolled out what it calls a supplier sustainability index to thousands of suppliers, asking them pointed questions about their operations and prodding them to better understand and manage their own supply chains.
How Walmart Plans to Bring Back ‘Made in America’
Walmart doesn’t make anything. But the giant retailer could play a part in the manufacturing rebound that is taking place in the U.S. with its promise to buy $50 billion more U.S. made goods over the next decade for its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. It’s a bit ironic, given Walmart’s vast global sourcing organization. But the same forces that are making the U.S. a more hospitable place for manufacturing —higher shipping costs and wage rates overseas among them—have prompted the company to reevaluate its sourcing on a variety of products. “This is a commitment around manufacturing and more economic renewal. We see it as a critical issue for us in the American economy,” says Duncan Mac Naughton chief merchandising and marketing officer for Walmart U.S.
Poway Walmart Breaks Ground on Expansion Efforts
The Walmart store in Poway broke ground March 26th, beginning construction on its approximately 37,000-square foot expansion to make room for fresh, affordable groceries at the store. The store will see the addition of fresh groceries, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, a deli and a bakery. When completed, the expanded store will add 85 new associate jobs, in addition to the construction jobs created by the expansion.
“Walmart is looking forward to expanding our offerings in the Poway community,” said Aaron Rios, Director of Government Affairs for Walmart. “Residents will soon have access to fresh food and groceries in their local store as well as a higher quality shopping experience. It will become a true one-stop-shopping destination.”
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Poway Walmart, located at 13425 Community Road. Representatives from the Poway City Council and Chamber of Commerce were in attendance, as well as Poway residents.
“I’m proud to see Walmart continuing to invest in our community,” said Mayor Don Higginson. “Walmart has gone above and beyond to make sure they are giving back through helping residents save money and through forging meaningful relationships in the City of Poway.”
Nonprofit organizations have also benefitted over the years from the retailer’s ongoing charitable contributions and support of community projects. As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, the Poway store supports numerous local organizations and events, including Poway Days, the Poway Rodeo and many local schools.
“We are excited to see the work begin so that we can better serve the local community’s needs,” said Art Gladue, the Poway store manager. “We enjoy working with Poway residents and local organizations, and I am excited for our future here.”
Opened in 1992, the Poway store was the first Walmart in San Diego County and has since held an important role in the community. The plans to upgrade the store were approved in August 2011 by the City of Poway.
Why Wal-Mart Loves Solar
Who is the largest commercial owner of solar? If Wal-Mart was your first guess before reading the headline of this article, I would be shocked; but that’s the right answer. Wal-Mart has now covered 200 of its 4,500 domestic stores and distribution centers with solar panels, and it plans to expand that number. It just announced a deal with SolarCity to install solar panels on up to 60 more stores in California, bringing solar to 75% of stores in the sunny state.
Does Wal-Mart’s New ‘Empowering Women’ Program Signal a Turning Point in Socially Conscious Retailing?
The call for ethical retailing practices has been gathering momentum, emerging as one of the hot industry topics this year. But when the nation’s biggest retailer throws its hat into the ring, attention must be paid – or at least examined. Does Wal-Mart’s new initiative to roll out a line of products supplied by small businesses owned by women – many of whom have faced adversity such as poverty and domestic abuse — signal a tipping point in socially-conscious merchandising?
Michelle Obama Urges Chief Executives To ‘Think Outside The Box,’ Hire More Veterans at Walmart
Michelle Obama challenged America’s top CEOs on Wednesday to “think outside the box” and hire more veterans.
The first lady said that, while declines in overall unemployment are encouraging, joblessness among the 9/11 generation of veterans — those who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — is nearly two points higher than the national average, at 9.4 percent. She said that figure means that about 200,000 veterans don’t have jobs, not including their spouses and those who will return home after the U.S. ends its combat mission in Afghanistan.
Remarks by Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke Introducing First Lady Michelle Obama at the Business Roundtable
Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke will introduce First Lady Michelle Obama at the Business Roundtable and deliver the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, today, March 13th at approximately 11:40 am EDT:
“We are pleased to be joined by our guest today, First Lady Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama speaks movingly about the service, strength, and sacrifice of our current generation of troops, veterans, and military families. It is a personal privilege to share some of her work and to start our discussion around creating opportunity for this new group of heroes.
Walmart Beats Emissions Goal a Year Early
Walmart has reported that it has delivered a 20 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions since 2005, beating its target one year ahead of schedule. The company’s 2011 figures show a 20.02 percent decrease in emissions from the Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers that existed in 2005, Bloomberg reported, surpassing the goal that had been set for 2012. However, Walmart’s overall emissions have risen since 2005 as a result of the continued global expansion of the retail giant. Emissions totaled 22 million tons in 2010, the most recent year for which data exists. This is exactly the amount of emissions Walmart is looking to cut from its supply chain by 2015.
