Walmart’s “Fight Hunger” campaign this spring raised more than $890,000 for food banks and pantries around Tennessee, including $133,969 for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.
Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, collaborates with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, to support 200 member food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs nationwide.
In 2018, 1.4 billion meals – 32.5% of total meals provided by Feeding America partners – resulted from retail food donations. In Tennessee, last year Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers donated more than 22 million pounds of food to Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Mid-South Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and affiliated pantries, resulting in thousands of meals for Tennessee families and individuals.
“Thanks to the generosity and support of our customers, associates and suppliers, we are raising awareness about food insecurity in Tennessee and taking action to be a part of the solution,” said Sean Riley, Walmart regional general manager for Tennessee. “We applaud our local food banks for the work they do every day to fight hunger in our communities.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 40 million people face hunger in the U.S., including an estimated 934,300 individuals in Tennessee.
Food City named top beef retailer
Food City was recognized for 2019 as the Retailer of the Year by the Certified Angus Beef brand for leadership in product quality, marketing and sales. Brand partners include meat processors, distributors, chefs, retailers and cattle ranchers.
Food City has offered the Certified Angus Beef brand for 20 years and has trained butchers in stores to cut the meat, wait on customers, help choose a cut and share preparation tips.
“Customers understand the difference and it’s driven by the people in our stores,” says Dan Glei, executive vice president of marketing and merchandising at Food City. “Our commitment to having a strong, highly trained butcher in the store makes all the difference.”
Food City President Steve Smith said the Certified Angus Beef brand “plays right into that sweet spot for us because really center of the plate is so important to our customers.”
UAW strikers get first strike pay
As General Motors-UAW negotiations resumed early Monday, union strikers collected their first strike paycheck Monday.
The strike is entering its third week and workers at GM’s Romulus Powertrain in Michigan began lining up early to pick up the $250 check, paid out of the UAW’s strike fund.
Many strikers said they need it badly. Monday’s line of striking workers stretched from the union hall’s main assembly room, snaked around the corner and drifted down the hall.
For Theodore Mays the money couldn’t come soon enough.
“It’s been rough because I have an autoimmune disease and I’ve been out of work a lot of the year on medical, so I’ve had no time to save up,” said Mays, who’s worked at GM’s Romulus Powertrain for three years. “I need to go back to work this week,” said Mays.
But he said will endure longer if the strike helps to get workers a good contract. “I don’t want us to settle.”