Walmart will match customer donations two-to-one up to $5 million for hurricane relief

(FOX 11) - With a catastrophic storm, flooding and power outages hitting the Eastern Seaboard, Walmart and Sam's Club are launching a customer campaign to assist impacted communities with hurricane relief.

Walmart is matching customer donations to Foundation For The Carolinas. As part of the Walmart 2018. Relief Fund at Foundation For The Carolinas, Walmart will match customer donations two-to-one with cash donations up to $5 million for disaster response and recovery.

"Our associates and friends have been significantly impacted by this devastating storm," said Dan Bartlett, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Walmart Inc. "We've seen over the years that our customers all across the country stand ready to help their fellow citizens when mother nature hits. So we're proud to provide a way to support their generosity during this great time of need."

Starting Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, customers will be able to donate online and at Walmart and Sam's Club registers.

Amounts donated to the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund at Foundation For The Carolinas will support organizations helping with local relief efforts including supporting shelter, food, comfort and emergency assistance for those in need. Walmart's matching commitment is in addition to $500,000 of in-kind donations that Walmart has already committed for immediate relief.

-- 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.

-- The company is providing support to associates who have been impacted with disaster-support assistance, setting up support centers in the impacted areas, providing hot meals to families 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. In addition, a mobile pharmacy unit has been deployed to the impacted area and is ready to serve those affected by providing prescriptions, immunizations and general resources for those impacted.
-- The company is 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.

Walmart has a long history of providing aid in times of disasters, helping communities prepare and recover by donating emergency supplies, such as food and water, home and personal products. In addition to last year's hurricane response of more than $38 million, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have donated more than $60 million since 2005 in cash and in-kind donations in response to disaster events.

Customer Campaign Details:

During the campaign, customers can donate to the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund at registers in Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs or on Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. For each $1 donated from September 15, 2018 to September 21, 2018, Walmart will contribute $2, up to $5M, to the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund at the Foundation for the Carolina. This will fund efforts to prepare for, respond to and recover from Hurricane Florence and any other hurricanes that impact the U.S. and its territories this year.