Annual Impact Report 2021

Walmart Associates across Southern Alberta showed their powerful dedication to sick and injured children once again this year. Store Champions and managers demonstrated engagement and commitment with an energetic kickoff to the Icon Campaign in the spring. Each store found creative ways to promote their campaigns, motivate associates and engage customers in the cause. Throughout the region, stores augmented their fundraising results with additional initiatives, including bookmark sales in the summer and ornaments during the holiday season. The result of all these efforts was an extraordinary $1.1 million in funds raised for Alberta’s Children’s Hospital Foundation.

This year in BC, the shipping and supply chain disruptions that have affected organizations around the world were compounded by flooding and extreme weather. In this context, it would have been understandable for Walmart teams to step back from fundraising for CMN or relax their expectations. They did the very opposite, pushing local campaigns to new heights and exceeding $1 million in total contributions to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. This remarkable achievement caps an extensive history of generosity, which has led Walmart teams in BC to reach an important milestone this year: $15 million in total cumulative giving. In a challenging year, Walmart has given BC Children’s Hospital and the children and families we support plenty of reasons to be grateful.

Store visits have always been important to the CHEO Foundation’s relationship with local Walmart Canada teams — a way to thank and encourage associates, and remind them of the difference their hard work makes. During one visit in 2021, an associate explained to a CHEO Foundation representative that when her manager had asked for volunteers to invite donations at the store’s front doors, she didn’t hesitate: she was motivated by an experience of cancer in her own family. The Foundation representative was not surprised to learn later that this associate is her store’s top fundraiser. Other associates and teams across the region also continued to deliver extraordinary results for CHEO this year. After two stores invited their teams to send gifts to a hospitalized child during the holidays, CHEO received truckloads of donated toys — showing patients that Santa hadn’t forgotten them. These stories are just a few recent expressions of the commitment that has led Walmart Canada teams in the CHEO region to raise a staggering $9.8 million since 1994.

In 2021, pandemic-related restrictions continued to prevent many popular fundraisers such as barbecues and bake sales. But Walmart Canada associates like Sherry Hewitt kept finding ways to go the distance for sick and injured kids at Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals. Based in Stratford, Ontario, Sherry is committed to raising as much money as possible for the kids an hour down the road at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre. She knows the importance of “the ask.” With a brilliant smile and style, she describes as “polite and kind,” and Sherry asks every person who comes through her checkout to donate to CMN. Not everyone does, but she never lets a “no” discourage her from the next approach. She keeps the impact of customers’ donations front and centre: “I let them know specifically where their money is going. I feel good about helping,” she explains. Passionate associates like Sherry make Walmart Canada campaigns a huge success year after year — helping Children’s Hospital deliver the best possible care to kids and families in Southwestern Ontario.

In addition to maintaining strong support for two seasonal campaigns — the Icon Campaign and Spark a Miracle — Walmart Canada teams in the IWK Foundation region have undertaken an additional fundraising effort in August, offering customers IWK-branded pens, with sales proceeds supporting the hospital. “Walmart continues to defy the odds and we have been blown away by their level of support, especially throughout this pandemic,” says Jennifer Gillivan, President & CEO of the IWK Foundation. “Not only have they continued to support the IWK during a time when we needed them the most, they have experienced incredible growth in their fundraising. This is a testament to the passion and commitment of their employees and customers to make a difference. We couldn’t be more grateful to all of those on the frontlines who are always there for Maritime kids.”

During this year’s Spark a Miracle Campaign, associates at store 3196 in St. John’s decided to add an extra festive note to their fundraising efforts while also taking advantage the additional traffic in their store on the busiest Saturdays of the year: the ones right before Christmas. Near the produce section, associates set up and decorated an area where customers who made a donation of any size to the Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation could have their picture taken with Santa. This festive initiative boosted the store’s fundraising results, with benefits for sick and injured children and youth across Newfoundland and Labrador. It also brought a little extra joy and fun into the lives of kids of all ages visiting Walmart with their families.

Engaging directly with Champion children from their local children’s hospital helps to energize and inspire Walmart Canada associates in their fundraising efforts. When public health restrictions prevented in-person events, Walmart teams continued to fundraise energetically for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba — but they missed having opportunities to connect with Champions, their families and the wider community. So it was thrilling when, in the spring of 2021, it became safe for visits to resume at some Walmart stores in Manitoba. Associates warmly welcomed Champion Brady and his family with gifts, posters and fun. Brady got a kick out of working a till to personally ring up a donation to Manitoba Children’s Hospital. One especially festive moment took place at the Portage La Prairie location in rural Manitoba: as Brady entered through the Walmart’s sliding doors, he encountered a store full of employees all wearing T-shirts that featured him. It was one more example of Walmart teams bringing creativity and passion to their work on behalf of CMN.

Walmart Canada associates across south-central Ontario drove three powerful fundraising campaigns in 2021, including an initiative that managed to succeed even amid the tight restrictions of the third wave of COVID-19. Associates’ enthusiasm drew generous donations from customers, all directed to McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation. To thank Walmart Canada for its unwavering partnership, in July 2021, McMaster Children’s Hospital staff welcomed executives for a visit in Hamilton to share details about the specialized care their efforts help to make possible. In addition to touring the hospital and campus, the visitors met with staff from the Prosthetics & Orthotics Department and the Developmental Pediatrics and Rehabilitation Program, among others. Hospital and Foundation representatives were glad to have a chance to express gratitude to Walmart’s philanthropic leadership in person – and to give them a window into the enormous difference they make for patients and families.

“The incredible commitment and ingenuity of the associates and the Walmart family always impresses us. Your passion and dedication have made a real difference in children’s lives,” says Julie Lemieux, President and CEO of Opération Enfant Soleil (OES). One Walmart associate who exemplifies the dedication Lemieux describes is Victorine, a young associate at store 3052 in Longeuil. Victorine is renowned among her colleagues for approaching every single customer who enters the store — polite but determined, she makes an effort to engage everyone in the cause. It’s not uncommon for Victorine alone to raise more than $500 per day for Quebec children’s hospitals through OES. The Store Director, Patrick Martello, is glad to see OES and Walmart working together on behalf of sick and injured children. “We’re devoted to the cause,” says Patrick. It shows.

This year once again, Walmart Canada teams drove extremely successful fundraising activities in support of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. Stores across the province achieved strong results with both the Spring Campaign and the Spark a Miracle Campaign, and went even farther through the Walk for Miracles fundraiser and additional sales of fundraising items [bookmarks, Christmas ornaments]. “Since 1994, Walmart, its associates, and customers have been key partners, donating millions of dollars for kids, moms-to-be, and families across this province. It is ongoing support like this that helps ensure better health care can be provided closer to home. Thank you, Walmart!“ says Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.

This year, SickKids and CMN celebrate the extraordinary generosity of Earl Mattice from store 3106. Earl personally donated $2000 to the Spark A Miracle Campaign — in addition to supporting a range of other charitable initiatives through Walmart Canada and beyond. Colleagues observe that despite the scale of Earl’s contributions, he’s humble and understated in person. “Earl is an inspiration to all of us, so selfless and always thinking of others. He has changed so many lives, not just with this donation but because of who he is,” says Katelyn Minten Administrative, Community & Engagement. His support for SickKids is an important reminder that in addition to supporting in-store efforts in their professional roles, many Walmart associates make their own personal contributions to support children’s hospitals in the communities where they live and work.

Walmart Canada teams in Northern Alberta outdid themselves this year, raising more than $1 million for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation — overcoming pandemic constraints with creativity and commitment. Customers couldn’t miss the life-sized cardboard cut-out of Stollery Champion Ryland in every Walmart location in Northern Alberta. Associates dressed their in-store “Ryland” up for every holiday and sometimes had the cut-out sit in on staff meetings. Despite these playful practices, when the real Ryland celebrated his eighth birthday during the Spring Campaign, Associates showed their commitment to this local Champion was no joke: they celebrated by making a Stollery donation on Ryland’s behalf, raising over $10,000. The passionate team at store #1147 in Abbotsfield rallied to hold a small outdoor gathering for Ryland, complete with gifts. Ryland and his family were grateful — and so is the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. With three new Walmart ambassadors set to take up responsibilities in the region next year, we look forward to building on this remarkable partnership in 2022.