Walmart Foundation awards $20,000 to Northwest Harvest

Northwest Harvest has received $20,000 from the Walmart Foundation as part of the Associate Choice Program, an annual online campaign where Walmart associates vote directly for a nonprofit to receive funding in their home state.

Northwest Harvest, with one of its large warehouses located in Kent, is the only nonprofit food bank distributor operating statewide in Washington with a network of more than 325 food banks, meal programs and high-need schools. It provides more than 1.6 million meals every month to this network.

"Northwest Harvest is honored to have been nominated by Walmart associates across Washington state," says Shelley Rotondo, executive director of Northwest Harvest. "This is a time of unprecedented need, and Walmart's support means Northwest Harvest will be able to provide even more meals this year to families struggling with hunger."

Seattle Children's Hospital was the winner of the campaign, receiving a $50,000 award from the foundation. The hospital specializes in meeting the unique physical, emotional and developmental needs of children from infancy through young adulthood. For more than 100 years, it has been dedicated to providing top-quality care to every child in Washington, regardless of the family's ability to pay.

The second runner-up, USO Council of the Puget Sound Area, was awarded $10,000.

The seven-week voting program awarded $4 million in grants to statewide organizations across the U.S.

In 2011, Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and the Walmart Foundation gave $958.9 million in cash and in-kind contributions around the globe. In addition, Walmart and Sam's Club customers and associates around the world raised $140 million through in-store giving programs to benefit local charities. In Washington state, Walmart gave more than $15 million to support local nonprofits.

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