Walmart Helps Connellsville Ministries Fight Hunger

The Walmart Foundation awarded the Connellsville Area Community Ministries $35,000 to help CACM continue its mission to feed the hungry in Fayette County.

The grant, announced recently, was used to purchase a new, larger delivery truck that will be used to transport fresh fruit and vegetables for the people CACM serves.

“Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have a mission to fight hunger, especially in the communities where we operate,” said Jack Yard, Connellsville Walmart Store Manager. “Walmart is honored to work with Connellsville Area Community Ministries because we know they are constantly working toward the

same goal. It’s very rewarding for us to identify specific, local needs and help those communities live better.”

Connellsville Area Community Ministries will use the new truck to expand the impact of their food program. This initiative is part of CACM’s effort to provide a steady flow of fresh, nutritious options for the nearly 500 families who receive food each month. The ministry currently relies on volunteers to use

their personal vehicles to haul some food. The Walmart Foundation donation will allow CACM to haul more food and in way that better protects the food from the elements.

“We are very thankful to the Walmart Foundation for their generous support so that we can continue to serve our community the best that we can,” said Chip Rowan, executive director of Connellsville Area Community Ministries. “We knew that without the funding we would have to limit the amount of people we

serve. We served approximately 3,000 individuals in 2013 alone. Thanks to our new delivery truck, we are poised to do even better this year.”

In addition to the Walmart Foundation grant, the local Walmart store in Connellsville provides about 12,000 pounds of food, including produce, to CACM each month. 

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated more than $26.6 million in cash and in-kind contributions to charitable organizations throughout Pennsylvania in the recent fiscal year.