TERRE HAUTE, Ind – One in eight Americans in communities across the U.S. struggle with hunger, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including 39,000 of our neighbors here in west central Indiana.

To raise awareness and combat the issue, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Feeding America® and Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank are kicking off its sixth annual nationwide “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” (FHSC) campaign, which will run from April 22 to May 20.

Shoppers throughout west central Indiana are being asked to help fight hunger in their local community in one of three ways.

You can help by purchasing a participating item in-store or online, donating in-store or donating on Feeding America’s website.

With 749 million meals achieved over the last five years, Hoosiers can help the Feeding America network secure its 1 billion cumulative meals goal in three ways. They can track the number of meals by visiting www.walmart.com/fighthunger.

• For every participating product purchased at U.S. Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs or on Walmart.com during the campaign, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank, up to applicable limits.
• Donate money to your local Feeding America food bank at participating Sam’s Club and Walmart stores in the U.S.
• Donate at feedingamerica.org/Walmart.

 

Walmart kickstarted the campaign with a $3 million donation to Feeding America and member food banks including Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank. A purchase of one of the 267 participating items helps secure the equivalent of one meal. Each Walmart and Sam’s Club will partner with at least one Feeding America local food bank, and the 18 participating suppliers include: Bush Brothers, Campbell’s, Conagra Brands, Cliff Bar, General Mills, Gold Peak Tea, Great Value, Hidden Valley, JM Smucker, Kellogg, Kraft Heinz, McCormick, Motts, PepsiCo, Post, Uncle Ben’s, Nature Nate’s Honey and Unilever.

“Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank distributed as many as 125,000 additional meals with to the donations received through the 2018 ‘Fight Hunger. Spark Change.’ campaign,” stated John C. Etling, agency director for Catholic Charities. “Ending hunger is a community effort – one which we cannot do alone. Our partnerships with more than 80 local hunger relief agencies in west central Indiana in addition to partnerships with national suppliers and local retailers like Walmart and Sam’s Club make it possible for us to provide the equivalent of 2.5 million meals to hungry children, seniors and families in our communities.”

“As we go into our sixth year of the ‘Fight Hunger. Spark Change.’ campaign, it’s exciting to approach the 1 billion mark in terms of charitable meals secured for Feeding America over the life of the program,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, chief sustainability officer for Walmart. “Food insecurity continues to affect communities across the United States. Working with Feeding America, our customers, members, associates and suppliers, Walmart and Sam’s Club aim to be part of the solution.”

Last year, Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank benefited from $31,333 dollars from Walmart and Sam’s Club’s commitment to fight hunger.