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Walmart Holds Private Event for Victims of Aug. 3 Tragedy; Delayed Opening of Grand Candela Memorial & Cielo Vista Store

Aug. 3, 2020

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Walmart Associate handing out roses at El Paso Memorial

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EL PASO, Texas, Aug. 3, 2020 — Walmart today held a private remembrance event at the Grand Candela Memorial for the victims, families and associates impacted by last year’s tragedy. Following the event at noon, the public was invited to reflect at the Memorial, located in the store parking lot.

To honor the 23 lives lost from last year’s tragedy, Walmart added 23 plaques to the site. Additional space was also included for visitors to leave mementos honoring the victims. The Grand Candela and plaza were built to celebrate the lives of the victims of the Aug. 3, 2019 tragedy. It is also a place of respite and reconnection for survivors and the community.

“Today is a difficult day, but it is also a day of hope,” said Robert Evans, store manager of the Cielo Vista Walmart, who was on duty when the tragedy began last year. “It has been incredible to see the outpouring of community support and watch people come together in the Borderland community. It can be a source of healing for me and the associates at our store.”

Walmart delayed today’s opening of the Cielo Vista store, allowing victims, families and associates time to reflect with minimal distraction. Additionally, the company donated $50,000 to support the United Way of El Paso’s Aug. 3 event.

“This anniversary marks a tragic time for so many, and I’m humbled by the city of El Paso’s resiliency through its healing,” said Todd Peterson, Walmart Vice President of Operations Support. “We hope to continue playing a meaningful role in that process and will do all we can, today and in the future, to honor the lives of all who were impacted by last year’s tragic event.”

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have also committed $300,000 to matching grants from El Paso nonprofits during this year’s El Paso Giving Day hosted by the Paso del Norte Community Foundation.

About Walmart in Texas
In Texas, we serve customers at 593 retail units and online through Walmart.com and our family of brands. We are proud to employ 162,00 associates in Texas. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $76.7 billion with Texas suppliers in FYE20 which supported 274,413 Texas supplier jobs. In FY20, we contributed more than $111.4 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Texas.

About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 265 million customers and members visit approximately 11,500 stores under 56 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.


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