Walmart 2003 Annual Report Download - page 14

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 14 of the 2003 Walmart annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 56

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56

Giving,
Helping,
Doing
Supporting Wal-Mart
Communities
12
Wal-Mart’s charitable giving begins
at the local level, guided by Associates
who are dedicated to building
and supporting their very own
communities. We rely on our Associates
to know which causes are the most
important in their hometowns,
and we empower them to determine
how Wal-Mart Foundation dollars will
be spent. Through good times and bad,
Wal-Mart and SAM’S CLUB Associates
are community
partners, eager
and able
to touch
a wide
variety of
causes and
organizations.
Wal-Mart
stores, SAM’S
CLUBS and
distribution
centers work
closely with
nonprofit
grassroots
organizations
in their local
communities. During fiscal 2003, over
$104 million was given by Wal-Mart
to more than 75,000 organizations
in the U.S. and Puerto Rico through
programs supported by the Wal-Mart
Foundation. All the organizations were
chosen by local Associates. This was
in addition to the nearly $50 million
raised by our Customers through
local fund-raising efforts. Merchandise
donations and in-kind support given
by our stores and Clubs brings that
total to more than $200 million
raised and contributed by Wal-Mart
in fiscal 2003.
“Wal-Mart’s Store of the Community
approach, which matches our
merchandise mix to the local
community, also guides our charitable
giving,” says Betsy Reithemeyer,
director of corporate affairs at
Wal-Mart. “Our store, Club and
distribution-center managers are
community ambassadors, and they’re
looking for ways to make their
locations an essential part of the
community for the long term.”
These efforts were recognized in May
2002 when President George W. Bush
honored Wal-Mart with the prestigious
Ron Brown Corporate Leadership
Award, presented to the best corporate
citizens in America. The annual award
is given to companies that demonstrate
a deep commitment to innovative
initiatives that empower employees
and communities, while also
advancing strategic business interests.
In November 2002, Forbes also named
Wal-Mart one of the 10 most
philanthropic corporations in America,
recognizing the community-centered
efforts accomplished by our Associates.
To help our Customers and Associates
during natural disasters, the Wal-Mart
Foundation provided $1 million in
community disaster-relief funds to
local Salvation Army and American
Red Cross chapters during the year.
We supported firefighters battling
wildfires in the West by giving them
supplies, food and free phone cards,
which allowed them to call their loved
ones at home. When more than a
million North Carolina residents lost
power due to snow and ice, Wal-Mart
was there to provide needed equipment,
blankets, heaters and other items.