Grantmakers in the News
March 1, 2005
Name: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Year founded: 1962 (foundation established in 1979)
Address: 702 S.W. 8th St.
Bentonville, AR 72716
Telephone: 479-273-4000
URL: http://www.walmart.com (corporation)
http://www.walmartfoundation.org (foundation)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has announced that cash donations made through its stores and the Wal-Mart & Sam's Club Foundation
exceeded a record $170 million for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2005, and that more than 90 percent of its charitable
giving was targeted at the local communities in which it does business.
The company, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, also reported that its philanthropic efforts assisted more than 100,000
organizations through initiatives ranging from education and literacy, to hospital equipment and treatment, to child safety
and voluntarism. Those efforts included $61 million in matching grants to organizations and programs in 3,500 communities
and $6 million in grants to over 5,000 literacy programs.
In addition, the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year program, the largest teacher recognition program in the United States, gave
more than $4 million through local, state, and national award programs, while the Sam Walton Community Scholarship program
provided $6 million in scholarships to 6,000 high school seniors. The company also donated $7 million to assist communities
in hurricane-ravaged areas of Florida and Alabama.
"While we support many organizations and national causes, it has always been our goal to look for ways we can help
improve the local communities where our company associates and customers live," said Wal-Mart vice president for corporate
affairs Betsy Reithemeyer. "At the end of the day, it is our associates who make it happen. They bring to us many of our
grant recommendations and, in turn, volunteer their time to make a difference in their community."
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