Walmart Presents $81,500 to the BackPack Program
The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank received an $81,500 contribution from The Walmart Foundation on May 7, 2014 at 11 a.m. at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. The grant, dedicated to providing children across the Food Bank’s 11 parish service area with nutritious food, is given to the Food Bank through The Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program. Specifically, the funds will support the Food Bank’s BackPack Program, which provides impoverished children with backpacks of food to take home on weekends and holiday breaks – times when many students do not have access to daily meals.
“Walmart continues to be a great community partner that is dedicated to providing nutritional food options for children in need,” said Mike Manning, CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. “Good nutrition and healthy meals are essential to the overall physical health and mental growth of children. We appreciate all Walmart is doing to help us grow the BackPack Program, allowing us to provide food to children in need in our 11 parish service area.”
The funds from the awarded grant were presented to Food Bank Board Chairman Brad Lambert during a check presentation ceremony that took place during a BackPack Program packing session in the warehouse of the Greater Baton Rouge Food. Walmart employees staffed the packing session alongside members of the Food Bank staff. The grant dedicates $31,500 to the purchase of a new forklift, which will allow production for the BackPack program to operate more efficiently in the warehouse.
“Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are very pleased to be supporting the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and are committed to helping those in need in the communities where we serve,” said Walmart Market Manager Bob Mulack. “Through this grant, we are hopeful that we will be able to support the youth in Louisiana by providing them with an absolutely essential need: nutritious and sustaining food.”
The Walmart Foundation State Giving Program strives to award grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the United States. Last year, the Louisiana State Giving Program awarded more than $785,000 to local organizations. To be considered for support, prospective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program’s online grant application in addition to having a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in order to meet the program’s minimum funding criteria.
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