Walmart Pledges $2B to Fight Hunger

Walmart will donate $2 billion in food and grants to hunger-relief groups over the next five years, the nation's largest grocer announced Wednesday. Food banks and other organizations will get 1.1 billion pounds of packaged goods and fresh produce. Walmart is offering $250 million in grants to anti-hunger groups, including giving Feeding America $6 million to buy refrigerated trucks and the National Recreation and Park Association $2 million for its summer food program for kids. The mega-chain will also offer its logistics expertise to relief groups so they can get aid to needy people more efficiently. Walmart, which has saturated rural and suburban markets, is looking to expand into urban areas, but those efforts have met strong opposition from politicians and unions. Critics say the chain pays low wages and puts smaller stores out of business, but Walmart counters that many urban and low-income people don’t have access to affordable, healthy food in their neighborhoods. The giant retailer hopes to fill that need.