Aug. 9, 2021 – Residents in central and western Oklahoma helped to raise $272,643 for Oklahomans living with hunger through Walmart and Sam’s Club’s Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. In its eighth year, Walmart and Sam’s Club associates engaged their customers and members, along with 27 participating suppliers, to help fight hunger in the state.

“Our neighbors are facing difficult times with one in six are struggling to find their next meal. The Regional Food Bank is incredibly grateful for Walmart, Sam’s Club, their associates, suppliers, customers and members who helped to support this incredible campaign,” said Stacy Dykstra, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank.

Each Walmart and Sam’s Club across the nation was matched with at least one of 200 local Feeding America® member food banks. Through the campaign, shoppers made monetary donations at checkout or purchased participating items in stores or online to benefit their local food bank. For every participating product purchased in central and western Oklahoma, the participating supplier donated to the Regional Food Bank.

“Hunger is an issue that impacts every community in our country and the pandemic has exacerbated this issue,” said Maria Zazycki, senior manager at Walmart.org. “Through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, we provide everyone the opportunity to join the fight to end hunger in their communities.  We are grateful to our customers, members, suppliers and associates for supporting their local food bank.”

The 27 participating suppliers for the campaign were: Abbott, Bodyarmor, Bush Brothers & Company, Campbell Soup Company, Clif Bar & Company, Ferrera Candy Company, General Mills, GoGo squeeZ, Great Value, Iovate Health Sciences, J.M. Smucker, Kellogg’s, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Kitu Coffee, Kraft Heinz, Mighty Spark, Monster Energy, PepsiCo, Post Consumer Brands, Purina, Simply Good Foods, Strong Roots, The Coca-Cola Company, The Clorox Company, This Saves Lives, Unilever and United States Nutrition.

More than $26.5 million was raised this year through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. Funds will benefit 200 Feeding America member food banks nationwide. Walmart kickstarted the campaign with a $3 million donation, most of which supported food banks in communities with the highest rates of food insecurity and racial and access disparities.

Walmart and Sam’s Club provide donations of both food and funds to support the Regional Food Bank and both are consistently the top partners in the Regional Food Bank’s Retail Recovery Program. Through the program the Regional Food Bank and its community-based partners pick up surplus food donations from Walmart and Sam’s Club locations.

To learn more about how you can join the fight to end hunger, visit rfbo.org.