Sam’s Club Pledges $2M to Health-and-wellness Causes

Sam’s Club means to raise public awareness of health-and-wellness issues with a pledge of up to $2 million to four health-focused nonprofits through its 2011 “Giving Made Simple” program.

The campaign enables club members and associates to direct a portion of the company's donations to the organizations by voting in Sam’s Clubs locations on July 9 and 10, and online every day beginning July 5 at SamsClub.com/givingmadesimple and on facebook.com/samsclub through Aug. 1. Clubs will additionally offer free children’s health and ID screenings on July 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We are a pioneer and believer in consumer-directed giving,” explained Jill Turner-Mitchael, SVP, Sam’s Club health and wellness at the division of Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. “As a membership warehouse club, members guide our every decision, and we want them to have a role in how we give back, too.”

Continued Turner-Mitchell: “This year, we are focusing our annual Giving Made Simple campaign on health and wellness and prevention of chronic disease, which we know is a top concern for everyone.” As well as its philanthropic efforts, the banner offers such business initiatives as $4 generic prescriptions, free monthly health screenings in clubs, and health management programs, she noted.

In this year’s Giving Made Simple campaign, each member and associate vote adds $5 to the amount a designated participating organization gets. The organizations will each receive a minimum of $50,000 and could receive as much as $500,000 apiece, based on the results of member and associate voting.

The four participating organizations and their plans for the donations are:

• Alliance for a Healthier Generation will make physical activity and healthy eating options available before, during and after classes at more than 1,600 schools.
• OASIS will help more than 50,000 people age 50 and up across the United States stay healthy and well through active lifestyles.
• Sesame Street will introduce healthy habits, including oral preventive care practices, to almost 1 million parents and at-risk children.
• The Y will make sure that healthy food options, safe places for physical activity and effective chronic disease prevention programs are accessible in communities.

Sam’s Club has more than 47 million members in clubs across the United States, as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico.