On the heels of Hurricane Milton, Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation say they are extending their commitment to support hurricane relief efforts to $16 million across impacted communities.
This is a $6 million increase to the $10 million previously committed for relief and recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas from Hurricane Helene, according to a news release. As part of that commitment, the company launched a nationwide campaign Sept. 30 allowing customers and members to donate to the American Red Cross’ hurricane relief efforts at checkout in stores, clubs and on Walmart.com. Customers and members have raised more than $7.7 million to date, and the company said it will extend the campaign through Oct. 20.
Overall, more than $23 million has been committed and raised by customers and members in two weeks to support communities recovering from both hurricanes, according to the release.
“We are heartbroken for our communities dealing with the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. Walmart, our associates and our customers always step up when there’s a need, and the support we’ve seen throughout the past two storms has been overwhelming,” said John Furner, president and CEO for Walmart U.S. “Florida can expect us to continue to step up for them, just as we’ve been doing for those in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.”
“This is the second time in two weeks that our country has felt the toll of a major hurricane impacting the communities Sam’s Club calls home,” said Chris Nicholas, president and CEO for Sam’s Club. “We are moving quickly to make sure our associates and members are safe, and we are extending our support today to make sure communities suffering from both hurricanes have what they need in the long run.”
Before Hurricane Milton made landfall, Walmart and Sam’s Club started working with local leaders and relief organizations to assess needs and help communities prepare, according to the release. The company said it pre-positioned more than 300 refrigerated trucks and over 500 truckloads of water and merchandise to locations in the storm’s path.
The company said it provided evacuation assistance to more than 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club associates before the storm and that it will continue prioritizing their safety and well-being. In addition, Walmart and Sam’s Club have provided associates with support pay for those scheduled to work while their stores or clubs are closed, as well as mental health resources, the release said.
With loss of homes and power impacting millions, Walmart and Sam’s Club said they have been working with nonprofit organizations to bring resources such as charging stations, food and hot meals, water distributions, shower and laundry to its parking lots in affected areas, as it is safe to do so. To support the thousands of Floridians who evacuated, the company said it is also working closely with shelters to provide essential supplies. As part of the effort, the Walmart Foundation will support the Hispanic Federation, Meals on Wheels and Volunteer Florida to meet immediate needs, according to the release.
The company said it will be updating a list of those resources, as well as store and club closures in communities affected by Hurricane Milton, along with more information on community support for communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
