Gleaners Community Food Bank Receives $200,000 Grant From Walmart, Walmart Foundation and the Michigan State Giving Council

DETROIT, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 12:30 p.m., representatives from Walmart, the Walmart Foundation and the Michigan State Giving Council will present Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan (Gleaners) President DeWayne Wells with a $200,000 check, representing their grant for Gleaners' Cooking Matters program. Program participants will prepare dishes from the class, share curriculum materials and be available to discuss the program.

This grant will help Gleaners expand Cooking Matters classes to three additional sites in Michigan.  Cooking Matters is a nutrition education program, founded by Share our Strength (SOS), that teaches low-income families to prepare healthy meals on a budget.  Over the course of three years, the funding from Walmart will allow Gleaners to reach a minimum of 800 low-income families, children, and seniors and teach them how to stretch their food dollars and improve the quality of what they eat using sound nutritional and budgeting practices.

"We appreciate Walmart's generosity and support in helping Gleaners provide this essential program for the many Michigan families in need," said Gleaners President, DeWayne Wells.  "Gleaners hosted 526 Cooking Matters classes in 2010.  This grant will allow us to expand the program across the state."

The most recent Household Food Security report in the United States from the USDA depicts hunger as a challenge so significant that it can only be solved if government, corporations and community organizations work together. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to applying its unique business strengths to address the growing problem of hunger.

"As a company, we operate globally but look for opportunities to give back locally," said Michael Collischan, Regional General Manager, Walmart. "Walmart, our Foundation and the Michigan State Giving Council are proud to support Gleaners Community Food Bank's goals of teaching families how to prepare healthy meals to help them live and eat better."

Walmart has recently announced a $2 billion commitment to help end hunger in America.  Through the "Fighting Hunger Together" initiative, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will give $250 million in grants to hunger relief organizations and donate more than 1.1 billion pounds of food from Walmart stores, distribution centers and Sam's Club locations, valued at $1.75 billion.

Attending and available for interviews:

Walmart Regional General Manager, Michael Collischan, Walmart Market Managers Diane Behnke and Stephen Satterfield

Gleaners President, DeWayne Wells, Gleaners Senior VP of Advancement, Gerry Brisson

Cooking Matters Program Director, Rachelle Bonilli, Cooking Matters volunteer instructor and personal chef, Barbara Hughes

Location: Gleaners' Headquarters and Distribution Center- 2131 Beaufait in Detroit

2^nd Floor Cooking Matters Kitchen

About Gleaners Community Food Bank

For more than 32 years, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan has been nourishing the community by feeding hungry people.  In 2009 Gleaners distributed more than 30 million pounds of emergency food to over 430 partner soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties.  Of every dollar donated, Gleaners uses 95 cents for food and food programs. One dollar provides three meals for a hungry neighbor.  Learn more at www.gcfb.org.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. The Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From Feb. 1, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $512 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally, $467 million of which was donated in the U.S. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.

SOURCE Gleaners Community Food Bank