Wall Mart Gives 2 Billion to Fight Hunger

[Stuart G]

Source: New York Times

The Wal-Mart Corporation announced plans on Wednesday to contribute $2 billion in cash and food to the nation’s food banks, one of the largest corporate gifts on record.

Over the next five years, the giant retail company will distribute some 1.1 billion pounds of food to food banks and provide $250 million to help those organizations buy refrigerated trucks, improve storage and develop better logistics.

“Hunger is just a huge problem, and as the largest grocer in the country, we need to be at the head of the pack in doing something about it,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation.

While the economy seems to be turning around, the number of people turning to charities to help put food on their tables continues to grow. A recent survey by Feeding America found that 37 million people a year now use its national network of food banks, a 46 percent increase from 2006. The survey drew on interviews with more than 61,000 people who use food banks, as well as reports from 37,000 food banks across the country.

Put another way, 1 in every 8 Americans uses a food bank to make ends meet, the survey said.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/us/13gift.html?hp

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While we argue about the company giving this money we cannot argue about this.. from the article:

"While the economy seems to be turning around, the number of people turning to charities to help put food on their tables continues to grow. A recent survey by Feeding America found that 37 million people a year now use its national network of food banks, a 46 percent increase from 2006. The survey drew on interviews with more than 61,000 people who use food banks, as well as reports from 37,000 food banks across the country.

Put another way, 1 in every 8 Americans uses a food bank to make ends meet, the survey said."

What this says about this economy and this country makes me sick.

[Captain Hilts]

1. With four multi-billionaires in the family they could do a lot more. nt

[Xenotime]

29. Agreed. Companies this large should be taxed regularly to help the poor.

[Brickbat]

2. Why not recognize organizing efforts and support U.S. manufacturers?

Never mind, I know.

[LakeSamish706]

3. So the question is WHY? Wal-mart has been anything but a good Corporate citizen

so one must ask what they are up to!

[Gormy Cuss]

37. The cynic in me says WalMart just found a way to get rid of aging inventory

and to get a tax write-off and good PR in the process.

[Egnever]

48. My first thought as well

[Javaman]

60. Tax right off. They made to much money and need to find a way to

keep what they got, so they donate money to charity. It's win win for them.

[AndyA]

4. I wonder how many people use food banks thanks to Walmart's predatory

business practices. They've sure put a lot of small businesses out of business over the years.

There's a reason Walmart is the largest grocer in the country. And it's nothing to be proud of.

[Sherman A1]

18. Agreed

[sandnsea]

5. If they paid their employees enough to live on

That would go a lot further to reducing hunger than forcing their workers to go to food banks.

God this country is fucking stupid.

[proudohioan]

10. Thank you! My thoughts exactly! n/t

[Stuart G]

11. To me, this is not about Wall Mart, if Wall Mart did not exist,

there would be some other mart. Some other company using the exact same business model
.. This country has created "Wall Mart" or its equal...

...Lots of people hate this store and don't buy there. Without it we would probably still have one in nine or ten at food banks. That to me is the terrible thing about this story. This increase has occured in the last 4 years.

[sandnsea]

21. Walmart undercuts union jobs

They don't pay enough for people to support their families, so those employees have to use food stamps and Medicaid programs. Then the people who shop at Walmart for the low prices, bitch about paying taxes so lazy people can go on the dole. And never make the connection.

Yes this country created Walmart. Because we're fucking stupid.

[Jennicut]

17. One of the Waltons, Alice Walton, is the richest woman in the world.

She also killed someone while speeding and got away with a fine. She was caught driving drunk on more then one occasion. Lovely family.

[No Elephants]

38. I noticed something about the people I know who have inherited wealth.

They enjoy giving charitable gifts. However, if they hire you, they begrudge owing you money you think you earned.

I am not referring only to my own services, althouth that happened once or twice. (Never had a complaint from people who earned their own money, though.) They complained to me about their personal assistants and almost everyone else they hired. Yet, they'd go to charity dinner and pay $10K a plate and relish every minute.

I can't explain it, but I did note it.

[proudohioan]

44. I guess charitable gifts make those types feel good....

...about themselves, and helps them justify (in their minds) why they deserve to have their inherited wealth. It makes for good PR as well. Not to mention the tax deductions....

:)

[daleo]

64. It's a status thing, I would say

Giving to charity increases one's social status, while paying a decent wage and treating employees well decreases one's social status (within a certain upper class mindset).

[Dappleganger]

6. Guilt money.

Buy cheap chinese crap and put mom and pop's out of business, the pretend to be the generous big brother.

[Donnachaidh]

16. more like tax write-off. I doubt these folks know what guilt is. n/t

[Mari333]

7. maybe they will let their employees rummage thru their garbage bins, too?

such big hearts and all...

[sandnsea]

22. No, you get fired for that

My son manages the dairy and frozen foods at our local Safeway. You don't want to know, believe me.

At least he gets union wages and benefits.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

8. I wonder how many Walmart associates use food banks?

I'm sure too many...

[Kolesar]

34. "60 Minutes" claimed that Wal*mart managers would give employees a list of charity food banks

and public food banks when employees asked for a raise to make ends meet. Wal*mart denied existence of the list(s).

[katsy]

9. FU walmart

This isn't charity. You had your hand in creating poverty as much as all the other multi-national corporate vipers.

Pay your people a living wage with full benefits. Let them unionize or fuck off.

I don't care if I have to pick weeds from a park to feed my family, I will never set foot in that place. No retailer should be that big and have that much power in any community. No one can compete. It kills entrepreneurship. Break that sucker up.

Oh and check the fucking expiration dates on the food and test it for melamine before distributing it. America's "let them eat poison" moment.

So sorry. I hate them. :rant:

[CrispyQ]

23. FU walmart - I could not agree more!

My city chose to champion Walmart. Many years ago, Walmart opened a huge store on the south end of town along with an Albertsons. Many small businesses went out of business. Three years ago Walmart built a new, bigger Super Walmart on the north end of town. The city gave them tax breaks on utilities & road construction work. In return, Walmart put ridiculous restrictions on who can lease the old location! They also have it listed for sale, but at a price that is so out of line for this economy & that location, that there were never any offers! Since then, the Albertsons, an Ace Hardware store & several other small businesses are out of business.

I have seen first hand the devastation Walmart causes in small communities. While I am glad for the good $2 billion will do for local food banks, it's a pittance compared to the damage Walmart has done in this country.

That said, their parking lot is the busiest in town. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[fasttense]

63. It's busy because it's the only on left in town.

They put up a huge super center here. They use to sell cloth by the yard, but then stopped. I went shopping for cloth and could find no stores in a 30 mile radius that sold cloth. Wal-Mart had put them all out of business. Now, to get cloth, you have to drive about 50 miles, or order it on the internet (not a good idea because you can't feel it and examine it for flaws).

So Wal-Mart is also in the business of making common items unaccessible.

Now they donate to charity to make them feel better about their corrupt, underhanded policies.

[Ron Green]

12. I can't avoid being cynical about this.

Wal*Mart is not people. It's anti-people, a corruption of the word "company" and a force, because of its size, that throws out of balance the elements of Market, State, Non-profit and others that comprise society.

$2 billion is a lot of money, but it's truly small on Wal*Mart's balance sheet. It buys positive PR for them far in excess of any sacrifice to their shareholder value, and, depending on what kinds of foods they'll be distributing, may even do some harm in some ways.

[CrispyQ]

13. "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price"

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

Everyone should watch this movie. You can watch it on Netflix.

[katsy]

25. thanks

.

[fatbuckel]

14. Wal-mart is one of the reasons for people to need food-banks...

Continue to buy crappy Chinese goods and keep the poverty train rolling!

[Donnachaidh]

15. Guess they now have a place to dump those no-sale canned goods, huh?

I'd love to know the exact breakdown of what they give -- exactly how much cash, and how much food stuffs?

[emilyg]

19. Good for them. It's needed and

doesn't matter where it came from to a hungry person.

[Stuart G]

20. I agree. The fact that we have so many hungry people here

is a complete functon of Wall Mart. Sure lots of what it does sucks. granted.
But to have sixteen percent of the country going to food banks (one in eight) is a national tragedy.

[tinrobot]

31. True, but how did those people become hungry in the first place?

If their job was lost or sent overseas because of Wal-Mart's business practices, then there's a much deeper issue.

[emilyg]

51. Good point - can't blame it

all on Wal-Mart. Our fine government had a hand in it, too.

[madrchsod]

24. i would applaud them but...

i`m sure it will be their "great value" foods. maybe they`ll put the arm on the major brands for what ever they do`t furnish.

looks like walmart wants to be a major supplier to the food banks or taking a huge tax write off.walmart does nothing unless there is a profit to be made.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

26. I'll still buy at the competition. Does that make me a bad person? -nt

[onehandle]

27. I can say the same, so no. nt

[YOY]

28. Sniff sniff! They CARE!!!

about their PR.

[melm00se]

30. you know

I think the WalMart haters would find something to complain about even if they completely liquidated the company and contributed it in its entirety to progressive causes.

$2 billion is nothing to sneeze at.

[proudohioan]

32. Well, maybe with one exception......

....maybe if after they completely liquidated the company and contributed it in its entirety to progressive causes, the CEO's, executives and Walton family threw themselves onto swords in shame and dishonor!

:evilgrin:

[No Elephants]

39. Since that will never happen, you can pretty much make any "prediction" you want about

it without fear of ever having your words thrown back at you.

The only thing I wonder is why you eve want to post something that bizarrely unrealistic in an attempt to defend Walmart and insult your fellow DUers.

ETA: Maybe 1406 posts since August 2005 has something to do with it. :shrug:

[greenbird]

33. Sorry.

Still not gonna shop there.

[GreenTea]

35. Complete BULLSHIT! We will all pay for it-As it'll just be another huge corporate tax write off

for Union-busting Wal-Mart....We as tax payers will be paying for it and Wal-Mart will get the gredit for it, a hefty tax write-off and lots mileage from their bullshit Public-Relations (P-R)tactic.

Wal-Mart is NOT giving up a dime of their own money, they know they already would of had to pay this money in taxes anyway, so why not use the money instead for P-R to make themselves look good and create even more profits for themselves in the long run?

Wal-Mart only sees it as a great P-R move, a great tactic to change their justified, cold underpaying corporate image...as they continue to fight Unions...Unions who will fight for everything the republicans & corporations hate, despise & fight against...

Unions, the workers only united voice, who are constantly fighting for better pay, health care benefits, overtime & sick pay, vacation time, worker safety and unfair workplace harassment & firings.

[proudohioan]

46. +1000!!!! n/t

[elocs]

36. Well I'm sure that any hungry American would give the food back if they knew it came from Walmart.

I know that DU would.

[No Elephants]

40. Please see Reply #39.

If I had such disdain for DU, I wouldn't post here. Just sayin'.

[elocs]

41. Well, that's you and not me.

Just sayin'.

Check out this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8321871

DU is not a mutual admiration society and has many differing viewpoints and I, like so many others here, am totally convinced that only my viewpoint is correct and should be supported by everyone else if they had good sense.

[Stuart G]

42. About that mutual admiration society...not only is

my viewpoint not right, or correct as one might say; there are a number of very fast responders who will let me know exactly how wrong I am,,on a number of differing subjects..I might add.

I might also add, that is ok. We may be sailing in the same directing, but certainly we are not on the same boat or stateroom.

[elocs]

43. You are to be commended for being able to admit you are wrong.

So few seem capable of doing that or considering any alternative viewpoints to their own.

[No Elephants]

45. Differing with the viewpoints of some posters is very different from disdain or contempt for DU.

I disagee with positions taken here all the time, but I do it with facts and arguments, not by taking a dump on DU.

But, as you said, that's me and not you. And thanks for that compliment. But, since you think dumping is equal to simply stating a different view, maybe I'll bear that in mind when I do disagee with your viewpoint.

BTW, the thread to which you linked me is about complaining when someone's viewpoint disagrees with your own. I didn't complain that you stated a different viewpoint, so I'm not sure why you referred me to that thread.

In fact, taking a dump on DU because some DUErs disagree with your view of Walmart has a lot more to do with that thread than that thread has to do with my post. So, maybe you should take another look at that thread yourself.

[ZombieHorde]

47. Good for Wal Mart. That should help save a lot of people. nt

[w8liftinglady]

49. If it focuses attention on the hungry in America,then I support it-forgive me.

[Crystal Clarity]

50. It's not their money to give. I belongs to the workers they ripped off

:grr:

[I Am So Me]

53. rich are evil

The rich are greedy and evil and have no right to the money they steal from hard workers. They should be made to give up all of their money in order to help the poor. There should be no one in poverty, and poverty is caused by the rich hoarding all materials. The shame is on them.

[truthisfreedom]

57. That's an interesting 2nd post. Seems odd.

[proudohioan]

59. I wonder what post #1 was....

Well, someone seems to have been having a bad day, indeed! :shrug:

[dsn]

61. Please. Lay down the Communist Manifesto and back away slowly.

The only thing in that post I agree with is that no one should be in poverty.

[izquierdista]

52. 1 in every 8...

I wonder how many Wal-Mart employees use a food bank to make ends meet. :think: Maybe if they paid their employees a decent, full-time wage, they could put a bigger dent in that number than by dribbling out a little charity.

[Prometheus Bound]

54. Good for Wal-mart. (intentional double entendre)

And I give this thread a rec.

[Bombero1956]

55. they could give away twice as much

and it still wouldn't come close to atoning for the damage they've done here and worldwide.

[tammywammy]

56. I don't care for Walmart, but good for them

This doesn't make me want to shop there or anything, but a hungry person won't care where the food came from.

[truthisfreedom]

58. $2B in cash is the equivalent of $6.51 being donated by every man, woman and child in the US.

Nothing to sneeze at.

[leftyladyfrommo]

62. Now if they would just pay their employees enough to eat. n/t

[Courtesy Flush]

65. I watched "Food inc." last week

WalMart was one of the few big companies to get positive comments. Its amazing that everyone hates WalMart, but the average consumer doesn't hear about Monsanto or the major meat packers.

[bitchkitty]

66. Sincere thanks, Walmart. But I still hate you. n/t

[MidwestRick]

67. Whatever the reason...

bravo.