The National League of Cities Corporate Partners Program promotes the exchange of ideas between corporate leaders and the leaders of America's cities in order to strengthen local government, encourage economic competitiveness, and promote corporate civic engagement.

*** Corporate Partner Profile ***   

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. web:  www.walmartfacts.com

Contact Information:

John Bisio
Director of Public Affairs
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 SW Eighth Street
Bentonville, AR 72712

Corporate Giving/Community Involvement: 

At Wal-Mart, we believe in a philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally. We know we can make the greatest impact on our communities by supporting causes that are important to our customers right in their own neighborhoods. We are proud to be a “store of the community” for all of the communities we serve by helping to provide financial and volunteer support to more than 100,000 charitable and community-focused organizations, and by utilizing our locations to provide opportunities for our customers and associates to give back.

Last year, Wal-Mart was recognized by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest corporate cash contributor in America. In 2006, Wal-Mart gave more than $270 million to 4,000-plus communities in the United States. Charitable contributions from Wal-Mart support a variety of causes and issues in the areas of education, the environment, health and human services, civic and community groups, and culture and the arts. The majority of those contributions were made to organizations at the local level, based not just on corporate decisions, but also on recommendations from our associates. This grassroots style of philanthropy encompasses the small things, such as allowing the Girls Scouts to sell cookies at our front doors, and the bigthings, like funding college scholarships and assisting emergency responders in times of disaster.

* In 2006, the company and the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Foundation gave more than $300 million to support our 6,700 world-wide communities, including $272 million given within the U.S.

* In addition to philanthropic support provided by the company, Wal-Mart’s customers and associates donated more than $115 million in individual contributions through company-sponsored fundraisers.|

* Wal-Mart also donated $1 million or more to numerous charitable and community organizations including, but not limited to: the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, the Boys & Girls Clubs, Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas, the MLK Memorial Fund, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Urban League, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and the Special Olympics.

In addition to making charitable contributions to various organizations and causes, we also are active in supporting an extensive associate volunteer network. This network has become one of the largest volunteer programs in the U.S., and it grows as we grow. As part of our grassroots style of giving, many of our community involvement programs directly involve our associates working with local community non-profit organizations and their projects.

* Wal-Mart’s associate volunteer program, Volunteerism Always Pays (V.A.P.), encourages associates to take active volunteer roles in their communities. After an associate serves as a volunteer with an organization for a certain number of hours, Wal-Mart makes a financial contribution to the organization in their name. This allows an associate’s time contribution to do even more good.

* Last year, through the V.A.P. program, our associates recorded nearly 1 million volunteer hours. As a result of this volunteer activity, the program gives approximately $5 million annually to organizations where Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club associates volunteered.

* Numerous associates have been recognized in their communities and by the organizations they serve for their outstanding efforts.

At Wal-Mart, we serve thousands of communities across America and in those communities we’ve formed some remarkable partnerships. These relationships allow us to connect with our associates and our more than 127 million customers per week to do enormous good on both the local and national levels.

* In 2005, Wal-Mart contributed more than $57 million to support education initiatives, including local schools and universities, student scholarships, educational organizations and Wal-Mart’s Teacher of the Year Program. In 2005, the Teacher of the Year Program provided $4.4 million to schools across the country and honored 3,800 of the country’s top teachers. Since its inception in 1995, the program has recognized more than 25,000 teachers nationwide.

* When disaster strikes, Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club locations can be counted on to work with disaster relief agencies, supporting their lifesaving work and helping communities begin the recovery effort. In 2006, Wal-Mart donated nearly $2 million in cash and products to support 75 disaster relief operations in 35 states. While always a focus for the company, Wal-Mart’s position as a leader in the area of disaster relief was highlighted in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Wal-Mart donated more than $18 million in cash and $3 million in merchandise to assist with relief efforts.

* The Salvation Army has a long-standing relationship with Wal-Mart, and in 2006, Wal-Mart demonstrated its support for the organization’s Red Kettle Campaign by once again allowing the bell-ringers in front of our stores and clubs.

Donations collected in the Red Kettles at Wal-Mart locations reached an all-time high of $30.4 million, accounting for 25 percent of all donations to The Salvation Army’s campaign. In 2006, the company hosted “Bells Ringing Across America,” a nationwide event that featured associates ringing bells in front of stores and clubs to encourage donations. Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott launched the event from a store in Bentonville, Ark., where he announced a $1.25 million contribution from the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Foundation to the annual campaign.

* Wal-Mart has a long history of supporting our nation’s military and their families. In 2006, the company partnered with Sesame Workshop and provided $1.5 million to develop an outreach project aimed at helping children of military personnel deal with the challenges of deployment. Wal-Mart also gave $500,000 in toys and gifts to military families with loved ones deployed overseas through its “Operation Christmas” initiative in partnership with Operation Homefront and America Supports You.

* Children’s Miracle Network, a national organization that aids children’s hospitals across the country, is one of the most significant recipients of Wal-Mart giving. In 2006, it is estimated that the company and its U.S. customers provided nearly $34 million in support of CMN, including $6 million from Wal-Mart Canada.

* Wal-Mart donated $5 million to America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network and developed a partnership to increase awareness of hunger in the U.S. Through customer donations at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations nationwide, an additional $3.7 million was raised to purchase and distribute protein-rich foods to individuals in need through America’s Second Harvest member food banks.

Since 1996, Wal-Mart stores have posted the pictures of more than 7,100 missing children. As a result of Wal-Mart’s Missing Children Boards, we’ve helped to recover more than 160 children. Wal-Mart also continues to promote Code Adam, a program created by Wal-Mart 10 years ago and used today by other businesses. The Code Adam program immediately alerts all employees to assist in finding children that are separated from their parents in a Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club.

For more information about Wal-Mart charitable giving, please visit www.walmartfacts.com.