With these combined donations, humanitarian group World Vision Mexico will carry out a relief project aimed at boosting the local economies of the rural and suburban regions of Chiapas and Tabasco. Specifically:
• Home-based businesses including vegetable and cash crops will be given small loans
• Local entrepreneurial capabilities will be strengthened, thus reducing migration
• Poverty and regional trade networks will be created, allowing local cooperatives and businesses the opportunity to access financial aid and markets for their products and services
“We have a very long history of providing support to the communities we serve when they need it most,” said Margaret McKenna, President of the Wal-Mart Foundation. “The work our fellow associates at Wal-Mart de Mexico have already been doing is a great example of this, and we’re proud to be playing our part, aiding in the economic recovery process.”
Since the floods first started, Wal-Mart de Mexico has been working hard to support those affected, channeling over 944 tons worth of in-kind donations for flood victims. Already, the organization has:
• Donated more than 118 tons of perishables from three stores in Villahermosa to Tabasco authorities to be shared with families.
• Collected 756 tons of goods at more than 500 aid relief centers nationwide (Superama, Supercenter, Bodega and Sam’s Club and offices).
• Donated food for the operation of three kitchens at three Wal-Mart Supercenters in Tabasco’s capital, which provided 3,600 meals a day over a 14-day period.
• Strengthened the supply of goods and products to our 19 stores in Tabasco in order to maintain critical supplies and our everyday low price policy. Wal-Mart de Me´xico worked quickly to open closed stores in the area.
• Provided 7,000 food kits to feed 7,000 families through the Mexican Red Cross and the United Nations Development Program.
Wal-Mart in the United States also understands the importance of helping those affected by natural disasters. Most recently, the company donated $1 million to the American Red Cross to aid in recovery efforts resulting from the Southern California wildfires.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. The company also operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. The company’s securities are listed on the New
York and NYSE Arca stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting
www.walmartfacts.com.
About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. World Vision provides hope and assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries and employs 27,000 staff globally. For more information,
visit www.worldvision.org.
World Vision’s work in Mexico. World Vision has been serving in Mexico since 1963. Current programs focus on health care and nutrition, improved cultivation and agricultural techniques, community organization, and income generation activities. World Vision responded immediately to intense, heavy rains in southern Mexico that left 800,000 homeless and 300,000 stranded, focusing on providing emergency supplies and clean drinking water.