In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael, Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation are committing up to $1.5 million of cash and in-kind support for relief and recovery.
In addition, $1 million from the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund held at Foundation For The Carolinas will support Red Cross efforts for those most impacted in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
“Our friends and family in the Florida Panhandle are experiencing tremendous loss as a result of this catastrophic storm,” said Dan Bartlett, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Walmart. “We are actively supporting local relief efforts and will continue to help communities as they recover.”
This commitment will support organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Convoy of Hope to help meet the needs of those affected by Hurricane Michael. In addition, Walmart customers will have the opportunity to give online as part of the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund at Foundation For The Carolinas, helping communities within the U.S. with hurricane relief and recovery needs.
All funds donated through the donation site will go into a donor-advised fund being managed by Foundation For The Carolinas and will be granted out from that fund for hurricane relief to nonprofits working on the response.
In emergencies like this the company’s first priority is the safety of associates. Walmart and Sam’s Club work to take care of associates and their families by communicating with store and club location management teams, reminding associates of emergency procedures and what to do during and after the storm. Other company efforts in response to the storm include:
- Providing support to associates who have been impacted with disaster-support assistance, setting up support centers in the impacted areas, and proactively calling associates to conduct wellness checks.
- Providing prescriptions and immunizations to customers during and after this emergency through Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies, which will be open as long as conditions are safe for customers and associates.
- Working with suppliers to help stores and clubs stay in stock. Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs will be prepared to open up as soon as possible so they can support communities in the affected area, and company pharmacies will also work with patients who might be displaced or have previously received prescriptions from another pharmacy.
- Centralizing relief efforts through the Walmart Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which operates 24 hours a day tracking storm impacts and supporting associates’ needs and well-being. The EOC also facilitates store recovery, and is supporting community relief efforts in the impacted regions.
- Activating emergency support teams dedicated to helping stores and club locations during critical events such as this one and providing subject-matter experts in logistics and emergency management to assist local emergency operations centers.
