Walmart, Sam’s Club launched 10th annual campaign to fight hunger in Hawaiʻi

Walmart and Sam’s Club have launched their 10^th annual “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign to help end food insecurity across the country.

The campaign has generated more than $165 million for the Feeding America network of food banks since its inception in 2014. This includes Hawaiʻi Foodbank on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i, Maui Food Bank and The Food Basket on Hawaiʻi Island.

In partnership with Walmart customers, Sam’s Club members, suppliers and associates, the campaign aims to help people who experience food insecurity in Hawaiʻi gain access to the food and resources they need.

There are three ways to support neighbors in need:

• For every participating product purchased in store, in club or online at Walmart.com or SamsClub.com, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank at Walmart and five meals at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details.

• Donate at check-out in stores or clubs or round up at Walmart.com.

• Donate at Feeding America’s Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign donation site at either www.FeedingAmerica.org/Walmart or www.FeedingAmerica.org/SamsClub.

All funds will stay where they are collected to support each island’s respective food bank and their various initiatives to keep their communities from going hungry.

Rising food prices, continued supply chain disruptions and the end of pandemic-related federal emergency support programs are affecting the charitable food system as well as nearly 250,000 people in Hawai‘i who are facing hunger. 

That number includes one in four keiki – making Hawai‘i the state with the second highest rate of child food insecurity in the United States.

To date, the campaign has helped to secure more than 600,000 meals for local families across the state. The campaign will run in store, in club and online through May 8.

“Hunger is closer to a lot of us than we might realize,” said Hawaiʻi Foodbank President and CEO Amy Miller Marvin. “With the aftermath of the pandemic – which doubled food insecurity levels across Hawai‘i – and record inflation rates, one in six people in Hawai‘i continue to struggle with hunger. It impacts our neighbors, our friends, our family, our keiki, our kūpuna and many more.”

To learn more about the campaign, visit https://www.feedingamerica.org/partners/current-promotions.