Walmart Foundation commits $15.5 million helping disadvantaged eat better

The Walmart Foundation is giving $15.5 million in grants to seven national nonprofits to support free meal and nutrition education programs this summer and throughout the school year.

This effort will reach 7,700 communities across the country and help one million low income children and families gain access to critical meals and teach them how to cook and eat healthy together.

The nonprofits receiving funding from the Walmart Foundation include:
• National Council of Young Men’s Christian Associations – $5.3 million
• National Recreation and Park Association – $2.3 million
• Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative – $2.2 million
• National 4-H Council – $2 million
• National League of Cities – $1.5 million
• FoodCorps – $1.2 million
• Common Threads – $1 million

The Foundation said these grants come at a time when millions of children who are out of school and without access to school meals. Many children who benefit from eating free and reduced priced school meals do not participate in summer meal programs which creates a gap in their nutritional wellbeing. Just one in six low income children who relied on school lunches during the year participated in a summer nutritional program in 2014, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

“While many children look forward to the summer months as a time to relax, it can be a difficult time for families who rely on meals at school,” said Karrie Denniston, director of hunger relief and nutrition at the Walmart Foundation. “As in years past, this summer we continue our work with longstanding nonprofit partners to help more kids access meals and learn to develop nutritious eating habits so they can live healthy lives.”

The grants from the Walmart Foundation will serve families through the following programs: