Funding From the Walmart Foundation Will Fuel Growth of Cooking Matters Program
Contact: Laura Hosny, lhosny@strength.org, 202-649-4335
Washington, DC (September 14, 2016) – On the heels of USDA’s report that nearly one in five children are at risk of hunger in America, it’s clear that parents and caregivers are struggling to make healthy, home-cooked meals. Now, more than 168,000 low-income families will be empowered with the skills to shop for and cook healthy meals on a budget thanks to a grant recently announced by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation.
The $5.75 million in funding provided to Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters from Walmart will help families through the following programs:
- Cooking Matters Hands-On Courses: Community partners that serve low-income families offer six-week-long cooking courses to adults, caregivers, teens, kids and families. Each course is team-taught by a culinary and nutrition educator. Participants learn how to plan and budget for healthy, affordable, and delicious meals for their families. Adult and teen participants take home a bag of groceries at the end of each class.
- Cooking Matters at the Store Grocery Store Tours: Cooking Matters at the Store tours provide families with hands-on education as they shop for food, giving them skills to compare foods for cost and nutrition. Participants can immediately apply these practical skills to make the most out of their food resources.
- Cooking Matters Mobile App: Coming in 2017, a self-guided Cooking Matters at the Store application will help anyone learn how to shop for healthy food on a tight budget on their own time, virtually.
“Walmart’s deep investment in our Cooking Matters program has helped us serve nearly 113,000 total families in this grant year alone,” said Billy Shore, Founder and CEO of Share Our Strength. “Now, with Walmart’s support, we are growing in new ways so that more families in America can learn that healthy eating can be affordable and delicious.”
“These philanthropic investments are the latest examples of our long-standing commitment to hunger relief and dedication to ensuring every family has access to healthy and affordable food in the times and places they may need it,” said Karrie Denniston, Senior Director of the Walmart Foundation. “Collaboration and dedication are key to making a positive impact on the issue of hunger in the U.S. and we’re proud to work with Share Our Strength and our ten other nonprofit partners to support hunger relief and nutrition education for families in need. Thanks to the programs our partners have implemented, millions of children and families will have access to the healthy food needed to support a successful school year and beyond.”
The grant awarded to Share Our Strength is one of 11 grants awarded to national nonprofit organizations totaling more than $33 million to fund nutrition education and meal programs for youth, and increase families’ access to fruits and vegetables through state and federal nutrition assistance programs.
An independent evaluation of Cooking Matters at the Store found that the tour produces lasting change on families’ shopping habits. Five weeks after a tour, 89% of families reported saving money on groceries, and three quarters of families reported buying more fruits and vegetables.
More information about Share Our Strength’s partnership with Walmart.
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ABOUT NO KID HUNGRY
No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 5 kids will face hunger this year. Using proven, practical solutions, No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast, are able to get the nutrition they need during the summertime, and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength.
About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 260 million customers and members visit our 11,535 stores under 72 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2016 revenue of $482.1 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.