BENTONVILLE, Ark., Feb. 5, 2008 – Wal-Mart announced today a $1,000,000 donation to the Red Cross Society of China for disaster relief in areas that have been affected by the worst snowstorms in China in half a century.
Since late January unusually low temperatures, snow and freezing rain have wrecked havoc in most provinces in southern China. Rail, road and air transport have been brought to a standstill and hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded as they have tried to travel to their homes for the Chinese New Year holidays. In addition, electricity, heat and water supplies have been disrupted, causing significant hardship for millions of people.
Working with local communities and authorities, Wal-Mart stores in the affected areas are responding by handing out food and drinking water to stranded passengers and families in need. Today’s donation of $1,000,000 to China’s Red Cross will be used to provide daily necessities for the victims.
“Helping communities is a core component of Wal-Mart’s commitment to social responsibility in China,” said Wal-Mart China President and CEO Ed Chan. “The harsh winter has brought hardship and severe disruptions to many communities. We hope this assistance will help the people who have been affected by the storms so they can have a more enjoyable Chinese New Year,” Chan said.
Mr. Guo Changjiang, Vice President of Red Cross Society of China said, "Speaking for the disaster areas, I thank Wal-Mart for this support. It is a great example of the traditional Chinese virtue of ’when someone is in need, all others come to help’. I hope more companies and people will follow Wal-Mart’s lead and contribute to our relief efforts."
“We have a very long history of providing support to the communities we serve when they need it most,” said Mike Duke, Vice Chairman, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “The work our fellow associates at Wal-Mart China have already been doing is a great example of this, and we’re proud to be providing additional support to those families who have been affected by these severe storms.”
Wal-Mart understands the importance of helping those affected by natural disasters and last year provided disaster relief to assist with everything from floods and tornadoes to wildfires and winter storms around the world.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club locations in the United States. The Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. Wal-Mart serves more than 176 million customers weekly in 14 markets. The Company’s securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. For more information: www.walmartfacts.com.
About Wal-Mart in China
Wal-Mart entered the Chinese market and opened its first store in Shenzhen in 1996. Currently Wal-Mart operates three store formats in China including Supercenters, Sam’s Clubs and Neighborhood Markets. It also holds a 35% stake in Trust-Mart. As an outstanding corporate citizen, Wal-Mart has donated funds and in-kind support worth more than RMB28 million to local charity and welfare organizations over the past eleven years, and has won awards such as “Best Employer”, “Best Community Involvement”, “Supplier Satisfaction Recognition” and “Most Admired Company”. For more information about Wal-Mart in China, please visit www.wal-martchina.com.