Disaster Relief & Preparedness

We aim to use our internal resources to identify emerging risks, help facilities and associates prepare for disasters, respond when disasters strike and serve as a triage point for emergencies in our stores or offices around the world.

While Walmart has always helped communities in times of disaster, the experience of Hurricane Katrina helped us realize how we best draw on our strengths to support relief efforts in the aftermath of disaster.

Our philanthropy aims to improve entire systems, not just respond in the moment. These investments also support efforts to help communities build resiliency and respond more quickly and effectively when disaster strikes. See our Disaster Relief Timeline for a look at how we help communities in times of need.

Our Focus Areas

Our philanthropy is focused on two areas:

Disaster Response

When disaster strikes – earthquakes in Mexico and China, major wildfires in California and Canada, flooding in Peru and hurricanes across the southern U.S. and Puerto Rico - our presence in 24 countries and thousands of U.S. locations positions Walmart to provide support through product donations and supply chain operations. In addition to relief efforts, we also mobilize our associates. For example, during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Walmart embedded teams in Red Cross shelters to provide food, medication, and emergency assistance. When a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico in September of that same year, Walmart associates in the states of Puebla, Morelos and CDMX worked together to staff collection centers in our offices, distribution centers, stores and clubs.

Disaster Preparedness

As with all our efforts, our philanthropy seeks to improve entire systems. We’re committed to helping communities respond more quickly and effectively before and after disasters. This is exemplified by our investments in disaster preparedness technology.

Grantee Spotlight

St. Bernard Project (SBP)
St. Bernard Project (SBP) works to shrink the time between disaster and recovery in communities across the U.S. In 2019, a grant supported SBP’s Leader Practitioner Course, which is designed to train government leaders in developing and implementing long-term strategies and action plans for their respective disaster-impacted communities. This training helps recovery leaders spend recovery and mitigation funds more efficiently.

To see other grantees in this portfolio, click here.

Applications are by invitation only for 501(c)(3) organizations (or equivalent organizations outside the U.S.) whose work directly relates to the above focus areas. Unsolicited proposals will not be accepted.