Wal-Mart donates a total of $1 million to assist with wildfire relief efforts

[uppityperson]

Source: San Diego Source

The Wal-Mart Foundation announced Wednesday it donated an additional $750,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts in the Southern California wildfires, bringing the retailer’s total donation to $1 million.
The Red Cross confirms it is the largest contribution it has received to date for wildfire relief efforts.
The foundation donated $250,000 to assist the Red Cross in providing food and shelter on Tuesday.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and Sam’s Clubs in the state continue to donate water, clothing, blankets and other merchandise. Over 20 trucks with more than $400,000 worth of merchandise have been given to relief efforts. Collection sites have been set up in each of Wal-Mart’s 208 California-based stores and Sam’s Clubs where customers can make cash donations.

Read more: http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20071024czr

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Good for them. I am trying to not be pissy about comparing responses to different disasters, or about cheap plastic imported crap or other anti-walmart stuff though. Trying. So, good for them to help.

[Booster]

1. Yep. I have to give it to them too. I don't shop there, but this is

one time they've stepped up to the plate.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Second time

during Katrina they sent water down and other supplies

[uppityperson]

7. If 500,000 people had to evacuate, that's a $2.00 bottle of water for each.

CA I mean.

[Liberty Belle]

8. I hate Wal-Mart generally, but during the Cedar Fire they helped out

by supplying free backpacks full of school supplies for all the kids and other stuff.

Much more than the Red Cross or most other charities provided, actually.

[superconnected]

15. 1 million in the face of hundreds of billion in revenue

really, it's not even a drop in the bucket to them.

[cboy4]

3. Of course, many Walmart employees who struggle

to make ends meet every day on Walmart salaries might argue they could use a relief effort.

This is not to discount, so to speak, Walmart's contributions, not only in Southern California but during Katrina as well.

[Sukie1941]

4. They can afford more!

A million dollars isn't much these days.

[kestrel91316]

36. Nationwide they probably gross a million dollars a second.....

[Ron Green]

5. It's peanuts to them, but buys a bunch of feel-good.

They ought to give 50 million. Now THAT would be a commitment.

[ClintonTyree]

17. Now we'll be bombarded....

by patriotic, "feel good" propaganda about how much Wal*Mart cares about people and the environment. :puke:

Everyone in the country should be forced to watch, "Wal*Mart: The High Cost of Low Price". Everything they do has a price-tag attached to it. That $1 million in aid will end up costing consumers and the taxpayers 100X amount that by the time they're finished. Wal*Mart NEVER gives something for nothing. NEVER!

[alittlelark]

6. That's about 35 seconds of total sales...

I am sooooo awed!

[Lucinda]

9. Surpises me that a million dollar donation is getting dissed by so many

They don't have to do ANYTHING. Glad they are helping.

[w4rma]

11. Actually they do have to spend money on things like this for positive PR. It's in their budget.

I wonder how much money China-Mart will spend publicizing their monetary contribution to the relief effort.

[Mike Daniels]

19. I guarantee if some liberal actor gave a few thousand $ to the Red Cross

you wouldn't hear people tossing out "wow, with the millions they make per picture they could give so much more" or "it's just an effort for PR purposes".

People here on DU bitch about how people don't give a damn in this country and yet when a company makes an effort to help out somewhere they dismiss the effort with lame justifications for the company's charity.

[Zhade]

29. Oh, come ON. You can't be naive enough to think they're doing this because they care about people.

If they cared, they wouldn't have helped destroy America's economy and raped workers' rights.

This is a PR move, nothing more.

[Lucinda]

30. Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

[devilgrrl]

33. I guess it's safe to shop there now? They haven't raised their employee's salaries but....

but they did give money to the fire victims and that makes all the ugly shit they've done to humanity okay.

[devilgrrl]

10. I'm so cynical about Wal-Mart. Who wants to bet that million was employee contributions?

Didn't Wally-World pull that a few years back? The employees put in their own money and the Walton's chipped in a measly sum. I bet they're doing it again too.

I also agree with others who have stated that they can afford a lot more than a million.

[Lorien]

12. Yep. I believe that it was in the doc "Wal-Mart-the high cost of low prices"

their donations have historically been extremely small (considering their worth) and have often come from employees. A million bucks would be a large sum coming from a local retailer, but to the Wal-Mart corp, it really is just a drop in the bucket. The Walton family themselves are known as some of America's stingiest billionaires, giving less than 1% of their profits to non-political charities each year.

[SKKY]

13. It's nice, but I'm not impressed...

They could do more, but I guess they did something, so even if this is just a "Look at what we did! We were there when you need us!" type of thing, hopefully it will do some good for someone.

[madmom]

14. I guess some people are never satisfied, where's all the other

multi-billion dollar companies,jeez people give it a break already!!!!!! :banghead:

[superconnected]

16. do you know how LITTLE 1 million actually is?

And it's walmat who coughed up the whole million.

[Mudoria]

18. Do you know how little ZERO is.. which is what they

could have done?

[Mike Daniels]

20. Why don't you ask the Red Cross how little they think a $1 million contribution is?

I'm sure you'll get a completely different answer from ANY charity that received a contribution of that amount from ONE company.

[w4rma]

21. Big deal. Walmart has to give well over 1 million to charities each year for their tax write off.nt

[Lucinda]

22. Actually they do a bit more than a million a year

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2984114">ABC News
MARCUS KABEL AP Business Writer Mar 27, 2007

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. increased its U.S. charitable giving 10 percent last year to $272.9 million, the world's largest retailer said Tuesday, likely defending its position as the country's largest corporate donor of cash.

The rate of growth was lower than a year earlier, when Hurricane Katrina relief helped push the annual rise to 19 percent, but it was ahead of Wal-Mart's 7 percent rise in net profit last year. The company's profit for the fiscal year that ended Jan. 31 was $12.2 billion...

Internationally, Wal-Mart said its donations in 13 countries where it has stores were also up 10 percent, to $28.9 million.

Wal-Mart said U.S. donations went to organizations including the National Teacher of the Year program, hospital aid group Children's Miracle Network, the Salvation Army, United Way and food bank America's Second Harvest.

Wal-Mart said the majority of donations are made at the local level by its 4,000 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores to charities they pick...

[devilgrrl]

23. Yeah, I bet they like little children and puppies too.

BFD, they're still a slimy outfit. I remain unimpressed.

[Lucinda]

31. And I feel the opposite.

[devilgrrl]

34. Great. Guess you'll be off to the closest location to buy some cheap Chinese made crap...

enjoy! :hi:

[superconnected]

45. Is this their employees who donated that or walmart the corporation?

I saw some statistics from Wallmart the movie where it was the employees who were putting the money in the donation bin for charities.

[madmom]

24. like I said some people are never satisfied, ...pathetic!!

[devilgrrl]

26. Oh, let's start shopping there because they had their underpaid employees donate money!!!!

:hi:

[madmom]

41. talk about jumping to conclutions...WOW, you shop where ever the fuck you want, but

don't put words in my mouth. I work there and they treat me a hell of a lot better than other retail jobs I've had in the past.Tell those people who are receiving help that a million isn't very much, how much are the others ( K-mart, Meijer, Costco etc,) giving? Have you ever heard every little bit helps? They had 20 trucks of material goods (blankets, water, food) things they need like right NOW,sounds to me like they are better at this than FEMA. Oh wait it was ONLY 20 trucks maybe it should have been 21 !!!!!:banghead:

[allisonthegreat]

25. Wal Mart sill treats their employees like shit! n/t

[devilgrrl]

27. They're still destroying small town America, still polluting, still living off the public dole...

but they give money and that makes it all okay!


:sarcasm:

[Lucinda]

32. I worked there briefly while I was in college.

They were very good to me. I cannot speak for others though.

[devilgrrl]

35. Oh lucky you! I think I'll stop into one today and buy some cheap underwear.

Now, I'd prefer to go to the mom & pop store they put out of business when they moved in but check out those low prices!

:sarcasm:

[Lucinda]

38. Reagrdless of your opinion, lots of people shop there

because its the best value for their dollar that they can find these days.
I avoid it like the plague, but I don't snipe those who don't.

[madmom]

42. I work there now they still treat me very good. Some people just love to hate.

[Solon]

43. Be careful, I would advise you keep track of every minute you work there...

Wal-Mart is infamous for shorting you the hours that you worked, they did it to me, there is now a class action lawsuit against them right now for basically stealing our money. I would advise that you keep track of your schedule independent of them, and check it against your paycheck.

[Snarkturian Clone]

28. Better than a sharp stick in the eye NT

[Xenotime]

37. That's all they can give back.. Bullshit.

[itsrobert]

39. A very cheap advertisement for them and they will make it up easy

With profits from the victims buying stuff at their stores to replace what they lossed. Also, there's a Wal-Mart down the street from QualComm doing brisk business from selling to people donating it and some victims coming in. Also, they are probably salivating on a piece of burnt land they can build a Super Walmart on.

[Bonobo]

40. Wow, a whole million DOLLARS? Wow!

[Zavulon]

44. Would it be better if they hadn't given anything?

Yes, they COULD have given more. Seriously, though, how much do any of you think they'd have to give to keep anyone who hates Wal-Mart from complaining? If they gave $50 million, people would bitch. If they gave $100 million, people would still bitch. If they gave a billion, people would still bitch.

I haven't seen any other large retailer give anything close to a million. I for one tip my cap to Wal-Mart on this. Bitch at what you consider to be a pittance all you want, but they still did help some people. It's a lot more than most have done.

[Solar_Power]

46. Ford is donating 11 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks and nine Expeditions to the fire departments

http://www.autoblog.com/