Donation will help bring millions of dollars in food assistance to the Riverbend area during 2015
COTTAGE HILLS – Today, Community Hope Center (CHC), located in Cottage Hills, Ill. received a $60,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program for the purchase of two delivery trucks for its food pantry program. Specifically, this grant will positively impact the local community by helping Community Hope Center collect generous food donations from businesses, churches and individuals who are committed to alleviating hunger for thousands of local families in need.
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“One of the best things about serving at Community Hope Center is that every day we get to see how generously this community responds to the needs of others and how willing our neighbors are to lift up each other,” said Community Hope Center’s Executive Director Paul Militzer. “It is a huge encouragement to our volunteers to have a corporation like Walmart support our efforts. This grant helps to meet one of our most significant needs and will be a blessing to us and the people we serve for years to come.”
“At the Walmart Foundation, we understand that organizations such as Community Hope Center are essential to building stronger communities. They share our values and are committed to helping local individuals and families in need live better,” Michelle Caraballo, Walmart Public Affairs Director said. “Through this donation, we are hopeful that residents in the Metro-East will continue to work together to eliminate hunger and food insecurity, particularly when it comes to children.”
Community Hope Center provides food, clothing, household items and toiletries at no cost to those less fortunate and offers prayer and encouragement to everyone. In addition to material goods, CHC provides free prepared lunches three days a week and haircuts twice a month. The organization also collaborates with businesses and other non-profit agencies to offer information on budgeting, nutrition, veterans’ benefits, legal assistance, and other benevolence services – all of which are cost-free to clients. In 2014, CHC distributed over $2.6 million in food to 6,975 individuals.
The Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better, awarding grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S. To be considered for support, perspective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program’s online grant application. Applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in order to meet the program’s minimum eligibility criteria. Additional information about the program’s funding guidelines and application process are available online at www.walmartfoundation.org/stategiving.
As part of Walmart’s $2 billion commitment to fight hunger through 2015, Walmart stores in Illinois donated 22.6 million pounds of food, in fiscal year 2014, or the equivalent of 18.9 million meals. In fact, Walmart reached $260 million in cash and $2.6 billion in in-kind donations nationwide, delivering on its commitment one year early. Additionally, just in the last fiscal year, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $44.9 million to Illinois nonprofits. For more information on Walmart’s fight against hunger, visit http://foundation.walmart.com/our-focus/hunger.
About Community Hope Center
Community Hope Center’s mission is to give the hope of Jesus through meeting spiritual and material needs. CHC helps individuals and families experiencing financial hardship and homelessness by meeting their needs for food, clothing and household goods at no cost to them. CHC is a non-profit corporation complying with all applicable federal, state and local laws and requirements. CHC is solely supported by local businesses, foundations, churches and private donations, and receives no municipal, state or federal government funding.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger relief and healthy eating, sustainability, career opportunity and women's economic empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart's giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.
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