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September 29, 2008 - Wal-Mart will donate $100,000 to support hurricane relief efforts in Haiti. $2.5 million was already committed to relief efforts in Louisiana and Texas. Read the release
August 30, 2008 - In preparation of Hurricane Gustav, Wal-Mart's emergency operations center prepares to aid the region by preparing empty stores to serve as shelters, acquiring credentials to allow trucks carrying supplies into the damaged zones after the storm and preparing to haul massive power generators to the region to get stores up and running. Learn more about Wal-Mart's emergency response efforts
July 26, 2008 - The Merced Sun-Star supports new jobs in Merced, saying, "Let's build the distribution center." Read the editorial
July 1, 2008 – Reuters reports that Wal-Mart has increased the number of local U.S. farmers that it works with by 50 percent in the past two years and that figure is expected to grow at a double-digit rate. Read the Article
June 21, 2008 – City officials get an “up close and personal” look at a Wal-Mart distribution center. Read the Article
June 5, 2008 – A recent survey found that 81 percent of city voters support the proposed Wal-Mart distribution center. Read the story and post your comments | See the survey results
May 21, 2008 – Wal-Mart donates $5 million to YouthBuild USA to re-engage out-of-school youth nationwide. Read the Release
May 14, 2008 – Wal-Mart was named one of the best companies for Asian Pacific Americans for its continued commitment to the small business community and contributions to the APA community. Read the Release
May 5, 2008 – With health care costs on the rise, Wal-Mart is now offering even more $4 prescription drugs to help consumers save money. Read the Release | Read the Fact Sheet
April 21, 2008 - As the number of eco-friendly products at Wal-Mart grows, many states across the country are starting to take notice and are increasing their commitment to eco-friendly products. California is now the “greenest” Wal-Mart state in the country. Read the Release | Read the Fact Sheet
April 1, 2008 – For the month of April, Wal-Mart is promoting environmentally sustainable products with advertising and featured products that are both eco-friendly and budget friendly. Read More
March 14, 2008 – Wal-Mart’s $4 prescription drug program has saved customers more than $1 billion since its launch in Sept. 2006. Read more
February 25, 2008 – Wal-Mart gave more than $296 million to charitable causes in 2007, including over $16 million to communities throughout California. Read more
January 25, 2008 - Wal-Mart is pleased to be a supporter of the United Way of Merced County. Read more
January 24, 2008 – Local newspaper reports on Wal-Mart’s campaign "to win over Mercedians." Read more
January 22, 2008 – Over 92% of Wal-Mart Associates now have health coverage! Learn the facts: Press Release | Fact Sheet | Charts
January 15, 2008 – Wal-Mart launches its Merced Customer Action Network (CAN) website. Learn more about Wal-Mart’s efforts to create jobs and keep our economy strong. Get the facts here
December 18, 2007 - Responding to a nationwide food and grocery shortage in food banks this holiday season, Wal-Mart today announced that it is donating 3 million meals, the equivalent of $1 million, to America’s Second Harvest – the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization. Read more
November 26, 2007 - On the heels of last season’s record-setting Red Kettle Campaign, Wal-Mart has announced its continued support for the nonprofit organization this holiday season. Read more
November 13, 2007 – Wal-Mart’s efforts to improve employee health care benefits has drawn notice from even its harshest critics. The New York Times says Wal-Mart’s focus on affordable health care “holds significant promise in taming what has become a runaway expense for the nation.” Read more
November 13, 2007 – The New York Times discusses recent changes to health care plans with Wal-Mart’s head of employee health care programs, Linda Dillman. Read more
October 24, 2007 – The Wal-Mart Foundation today announced a cash contribution of $1 million to the American Red Cross in response to the raging wildfires in Southern California. Read more
October 22, 2007 – As part of Wal-Mart’s Salute to America’s Farmers, the company is showcasing it’s partnership with Van Groningen & Sons of Manteca, a California pumpkin grower. Van Groningen & Sons represents one example of Wal-Mart’s support of local agriculture and suppliers. Learn more
September 27, 2007 – Wal-Mart expands its $4 prescription drug program; helps reduce health care costs for families. Read the Article | Read the Press Release
September 25, 2007 - Wal-Mart announced yesterday that it will begin asking its suppliers to measure their carbon footprint and find ways to reduce it, part of an effort by the world's largest retailer to transform itself into a more environmentally friendly company. Read the Article
July 17, 2007 – Wal-Mart’s truck fleet
has increased energy efficiency by 15% over the past two years,
with a goal of reaching 25% by the late next year. Read
the article
May 7, 2007 – Today, Wal-Mart announced
its Solar Power Pilot Project in California and Hawaii. According
to Wal-Mart’s Vice President of Energy, Kim Saylors-Laster,
the company is “taking aggressive steps towards our goal of
being supplied by 100 percent renewable energy.” Read
the Press Release | Learn
more about the project
March 27, 2007 – Wal-Mart donated more than
$300 million in 2006 to support communities world-wide. Learn
More
March 25, 2007 – The Sacramento Bee reports,
“Those plans have drawn praise from national environmental
groups. And state regulators charged with implementing California's
greenhouse-gas reduction target -- a 15 percent cut by 2020 -- are
looking to Wal-Mart for leadership.” Read
the Article
February 24, 2007 – The Sacramento Bee reports
on Wal-Mart’s push for energy efficient light bulbs. “It
may sound like a fantasy to imagine this level of light bulb conversion,
but it is happening right now. As the magazine Fast Company reported
last year, Wal-Mart has teamed up with General Electric to manufacture
and market CFL bulbs on a monumental scale.” Read
the Article | Learn
About Energy Efficient Stores
February 7, 2007 – The New York Times reports,
"... in an extraordinary meeting in Washington, the chiefs
of Wal-Mart Stores and the Service Employees International Union
will stand together and agree on a series of goals for achieving
universal health coverage…" Read
the article | Learn
More
January 22, 2007 - Retailer pledges support to
California citrus growers facing significant crop loss. Read
More
January 8, 2007 - Wal-Mart Launches National Ads
Highlighting Values, Health Care, Savings, Philanthropy. View the
TV Commercials:
November 29, 2006 – The Modesto Bee reports,
“Billie Ann McClintick of Modesto said she went to the Wal-Mart
on Plaza Parkway on Tuesday after a chain drugstore quoted a $20
price for a medication used by her 91-year-old aunt. She got it
for $4 at the Wal-Mart pharmacy.” Read
More | Write a Letter to the
Editor
November 13, 2006 – The LA Times reports
in its article “Wal-Mart Goes Green” that "for
the last year, this experimental Wal-Mart Supercenter has been testing
ways to be more environmentally sensitive in everything it does.”
Read
More
October 26, 2006 - The Chico Enterprise reports,
“A locally produced survey on the impact of Wal-Mart Supercenters
around California indicates the big-box retailer helps, rather than
harms, communities.” Read
More
September 25, 2006 – In response to Wal-Mart’s
new drug plan, the Modesto Bee quotes Betty Williams: “'I
have thought for years that the drug companies are the boss and
they have overpriced medications,' she said. 'I am glad somebody
is doing something about it.'” Read
More
September 21, 2006 – Wal-Mart cuts generic
prescription medicines to $4. Read
More
August 30, 2006 – Wal-Mart Stores has been
named as one of the “50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work
for in the United States” by LATINA Style Magazine.
Read More
August 29, 2006 – Wal-Mart launches TV spots
that highlight values, health care, savings, and philanthropy. Watch
the ads
July 13, 2006 – The Wall Street Journal
reports, “Gore told Wal-Mart executives and employees at a
day-long conference on the retailer's green efforts that they should
be proud to work there.” Read
More - “Ex-VP Gore Praises Wal-Mart For Environmental
Programs”
June 28, 2006 – According to a public opinion
survey, “Americans are wild about Wal-Mart.” Sixty-nine
percent (69%) of Americans have a favorable opinion of Wal-Mart
and its associates have an even more favorable opinion of their
employer. Read
the Survey
June 6, 2006 - “Wal-Mart and SAM’S
CLUB associates and customers amaze us. Year after year Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc., continues to be our number one corporate sponsor.
Their day-to-day efforts on behalf of our hospitals were incredible
last year, bringing their 19-year total to more than $350 million,”
said Jim Hall, Children’s Miracle Network CEO. Read
More
April 14, 2006 – MSNBC reports: “But
it's precisely Wal-Mart's size and reach that could make it a powerful
force for good for the planet, say market observers and a growing
number of activists.”
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