Wal-Mart donates $100,000 to disaster relief

To help families in need following the Slave Lake, Alta. fires and the flooding around Brandon, Man. and in Southern Quebec, Wal-Mart Canada has donated $100,000 in gift cards to the Canadian Red Cross. An online fundraising campaign has also been established on Walmart.ca.

So far Wal-Mart has donated more than $3 million to the Canadian Red Cross for disaster relief in 2010.

"Wal-Mart Canada is proud to play a pivotal role in providing urgently needed support when disaster strikes," said David Cheesewright, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Canada.  "We are always standing by, ready to assist the Canadian Red Cross to ensure Canadians get the help they need when they need it the most."

Wal-Mart's sponsorship supports the Red Cross with emergency supplies such as blankets, food, clothing, water, hygiene kits (toothbrushes, soap and other toiletries), and Wal-Mart employee volunteers. To date, including its annual month-long fundraiser last August, Wal-Mart Canada has donated and raised nearly $16 million to the Canadian Red Cross.

Since 2003, the Canadian Red Cross has relied on Wal-Mart as partner in responding to disasters of all scale and it remains the Red Cross' largest corporate donor.

All Canadian Red Cross assistance is provided free of charge thanks to government funding, financial support from individuals, organizations and corporate donors such as Wal-Mart.