Walmart Foundation Provides First Round of Grants to Help Communities in Georgia

ATLANTA, July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Walmart Foundation's State Giving Program has awarded its first cycle of grants to nine local non-profit organizations in Georgia who are making a difference in the communities they serve. The funds are given annually in two rounds and used to establish new programs or elevate existing initiatives focused on education, workforce development and economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, health and wellness, and hunger. In Georgia, the Walmart Foundation's State Giving Program has awarded a total of $565,000 during its first round of grants in 2011. The Foundation is currently accepting applications for the second funding cycle. Applications for the second round of grants can be submitted online through September 9, 2011.

"We value the opportunity to give back to the local communities we serve by positively impacting and supporting causes that are important to our customers and employees in their own neighborhoods," said Greg Sullivan, senior vice president for the Southeast Division of Walmart.

The recipients of the Walmart Foundation's Georgia State Giving Program are:

• Big Brother Big Sisters Metro Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Inc. (Atlanta, Ga.)
• Communities In Schools of Georgia, Inc. (Atlanta, Ga.)
• Concerted Services, Inc. (Waycross, Ga.)
• Families First, Inc. (Atlanta, Ga.)
• MUST ministries, Inc. (Marietta, Ga.)
• Operation Homefront - Georgia, Inc. (Marietta, Ga.)
• Society of St. Andrew, Inc. (Tifton, Ga.)
• Special Olympics Georgia, Inc. (Atlanta, Ga.)

In the first funding cycle, Walmart reinforced its commitment to fighting hunger, supporting education and improving health and wellness by donating a total of $150,000 to hunger relief programs, $350,000 to education initiatives and $65,000 to a health and wellness program to local non-profit organizations throughout Georgia. Communities In Schools of Georgia (CIS) is among one of the grant recipients. The grant will help CIS fund the creation of a Leadership Institute, which is designed to provide local executive directors, school site staff, and board members with additional training as they work with kids served by CIS. The goal is to strengthen the capacity of CIS and help schools increase graduation rates and improve academic achievement, attendance and behavior.  

"Georgia's graduation rates remain one of the lowest in the nation, and Walmart's grant will help us address this critical issue as we partner with school districts to turn around low performing schools and provide a community of support to empower students to succeed in school," said Carol Lewis, chief operating officer for Communities In Schools of Georgia.

In 2010, Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $33.1 million in cash and in-kind donations to local organizations in the communities they serve in the state of Georgia.  Through additional funds donated by customers, and Walmart and Sam's Club associates throughout the state, the retailer's contributions in Georgia totaled more than $36.3 million.

For more information about Walmart's State Giving program and to apply for a state grant, please visit www.walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support initiatives that are helping people live better around the globe. In May 2010, Walmart and its Foundation made a historic pledge of $2 billion through 2015 to fight hunger in the U.S. The Walmart Foundation also supports education, workforce development, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness initiatives. To learn more, visit http://www.walmartfoundation.org/.

SOURCE Walmart; Walmart Foundation