Walmart hosting food drive

A national retailer is bringing its first-of-its-kind campaign to Yuma — and with it, organizers hope to feed local families for the holidays.

Walmart is hosting its first nationwide food drive at all Walmart stores. The goal is to “fight hunger in the U.S. this holiday season.”

The food drive runs through Monday and will benefit the Yuma Community Food Bank, said Katherine Thornhill, spokeswoman for the campaign. There are two Yuma locations where residents can donate nonperishable food items:

• 2900 S. Pacific Ave.

• 2501 S. Avenue B

Thornhill said The Salvation Army will receive a separate donation of $1 million to help provide meals to families across the nation.

“Nearly one in five American households reported the inability to afford enough food in the past year,” Thornhill said. “From Nov. 15 through Nov. 22, the Walmart stores in Yuma will participate in the retailer's first nationwide in-store food drive to help combat the growing hunger problem in Arizona and throughout the country.”

Through its holiday giving initiative, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will engage the millions of Americans who shop at Walmart stores and use its Facebook page to help elevate the issue of hunger in America.

According to a statement from representatives of the retail chain, the effort is an extension of the $2 billion commitment through 2015 to help end hunger in America announced by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation earlier this year.

For more information about the campaign and/or to visit the company's Facebook page, visit www.facebook.com/walmart.

Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.