organization’s Evangeline Booth Award
BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 26, 2007 – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced today that the company will be the first for-profit organization to receive The Salvation Army’s Evangeline Booth Award, one of the organization’s highest honors. The Salvation Army is recognizing Wal-Mart for excellence in corporate philanthropy and will present the award to Wal-Mart President and CEO Lee Scott on April 27 during its National Advisory Organizations Conference in Dallas, Texas.
“We are honoring Wal-Mart Stores because of its demonstrated commitment to go above and beyond the call of duty, not only for The Salvation Army, but for philanthropic organizations across the country who are intent on assisting Americans in their times of greatest need,” said Commissioner Israel Gaither, Salvation Army USA National Commander.
Recognized last year by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest cash contributor in America, Wal-Mart gave more than $270 million in 2006 to support its 4,000-plus U.S. communities. Charitable contributions from the company support a variety of causes and issues in the areas of education, the environment, health and human services, civic and community groups, and culture and the arts. Corporate giving at Wal-Mart is governed by a philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally. The majority of the company’s giving occurs at the local level as each Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club location is empowered to support the issues and causes that are important to its neighborhoods.
“Our customers count on us to be a good neighbor, and we are proud to be a ‘store of the community’ for all of the communities that we serve,” said Scott. “We are honored to receive this award and look forward to working with this organization for many years to come.”
Wal-Mart has a long-standing partnership with The Salvation Army that spans more than 20 years. The company annually invites The Salvation Army bell ringers to collect donations outside stores and clubs nationwide for its Red Kettle Campaign. During the 2006 Christmas season, Wal-Mart helped raise a record $30 million for the Red Kettle Campaign – the most raised by any Salvation Army partner and one-fourth of all Red Kettle fundraising. Wal-Mart and The Salvation Army also work closely during times of disaster, and most recently partnered to care for those affected by and responding to the shootings at Virginia Tech University.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, more than 127 million customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Club locations across America or log on to its online store at
www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $270 million to local communities in the United States. To learn more, visit www.walmartfacts.com,
www.walmartstores.com, or
www.walmartfoundation.org.