Wal-Mart Community essay

Contrary to what many people believe, Wal-Mart gives back to the community. Wal-Mart’s image is that of a Giant Store, which bulldozes a community by pulling away customers from local merchants. However, Wal-Mart has a philosophy; they operate internationally while giving back to the local community. It offers support to the surrounding communities by supporting causes that are dear to customers in their neighborhoods. The store has provided volunteer and financial support to over 100,000 community-based and charitable organizations. Their different locations in various states offer opportunities to their associates and customers give back to the community.

Moreover, Wal-Mart has been part of a hunger campaign that focuses on ending hunger in the United States. The Wal-Mart foundation, together with Wal-Mart has forwarded over 2 billion in cash towards this cause. For some time now, Wal-Mart has also offered military support to veterans and their families, as well. It privately employs veterans and military personnel on duty into their staff. This it does because the company recognizes the work the military is doing towards ensuring a secured United States.

Wal-Mart’s support focuses on health and wellness, education, environmental sustainability, economic opportunity and workforce development. For example, on September 14 last year, the Giant Store started an initiative for Global Women’s Empowerment. They have pumped over 100 million dollars towards the initiative that aims at improving businesses owned by women, job training, farms, education, gender diversity, and factories.

In my view, many people do not know much about Wal-Mart’s donations probably because they do it quietly. Local Wal-Mart managers are instrumental in identifying charitable causes that Wal-Mart can chip in. Notably, the Wal-Mart Foundation has been supporting both the Food Bank and Community Market. Wal-Mart also came up with a program that encourages their employees in conjunction with associates to volunteer towards local initiatives. This caring image is not common to many. Many people know Wal-Mart as a Giant Corporation that never cares. However, this is not true. Wal-Mart launched a recent program that donated over 4 million in dollars to help teachers countrywide.