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Miami, FL--(HISPANIC PR
WIRE)--April 11, 2003--More than 44 million adult Americans are functionally
illiterate. They can't fill out a job application on their own or read to their
children at night. Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB associates are doing something to
help create a happy ending to that story.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is
hosting a "Words are Your Wheels" Literacy Day at it stores nationwide on
Saturday, April 12, to raise awareness for the fight against illiteracy.
Associates at area Wal-Mart stores and SAM'S CLUBS will celebrate the day with
the following special activities:
-- Announcing donations of $1,000 to
literacy initiatives in the area;
-- Hosting local authors in the stores and
clubs for book readings; and
-- Raising awareness for a national toll-free
referral hotline sponsored by Wal-Mart to offer help to those who cannot read.
$6,000 in area donations
The following organizations will be
receiving $1,000 literacy grants from local Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB associates.
-- Children's Charity League of Dade County
-- South Ridge High
School
-- Lake Stevens Elementary School
-- Caribbean Elementary School
-- Hialeah Gardens Elementary School
-- Young Men's Christian
Association of Greater Miami
Nationally, associates at the company's
3,400 Wal-Mart stores and SAM'S CLUBS are announcing $3.4 million in donations
to thousands of local non-profit organizations or educational initiatives that
are helping individuals in their local community learn to read. The company is
donating $191,000 to literacy initiatives in the State of Florida
"Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB associates are proud to join the effort to
improve reading skills in our country," said Doug McMillon, executive vice
president - merchandising for SAM'S CLUBS. "It is never too late to start." To
date the company's donations to local literacy efforts nationwide total nearly
$7 million.
Book readings to feature local authors
To celebrate
the donations, area stores and clubs are hosting local authors, songwriters,
playwrights or journalists for book readings. The public is invited to attend
the readings, which are scheduled for various times throughout the day. Free
bookmarks will be distributed to the first 500 attendees at each store or club.
Scheduled to appear at area stores and clubs are:
Saturday, April 12
WHERE:
8651 NW 13th Terrace Wal-Mart
10 a.m. - Singer Jorge
Moreno
2 p.m. - Marcia King Gamble
8425 NW 13th Terrace SAM'S CLUB
11 a.m. - Singer Jorge Moreno
4 p.m. - Victoria Warren
(Editor's
Note: Please contact your local store or club to confirm appearances and
book-reading times.)
Toll-free literacy hotline helps 13,000 callers
The "Words are Your Wheels" initiative also includes Wal-Mart's national
toll-free literacy referral service at 1-800-929-4458. This free service, which
is available to receive calls from 7 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. CST, seven days a week,
gives contact information to callers about literacy outreach organizations in
their community providing reading assistance. The service is funded by Wal-Mart
and has been operating since May 2002. To date the service has helped 13,000
people and currently averages 1,000 calls per week.
According to Betsy
Reithemeyer, director of the Wal-Mart Foundation, the company has compiled and
uses a database of more than 5,000 local literacy organizations to help callers.
Most of the local organizations provide one-on-one or small-group teaching
services free of charge. "Our goal for the toll-free service is to help as many
people as possible hook up with a local non-profit or educational group that
offers tutoring," said Reithemeyer.
About Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
With annual sales of $244.5 billion, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates more
than 2,870 discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, and more than
520 SAM'S CLUBS in the United States. Internationally, the company operates
about 1,275 units. Wal-Mart employs over 1.3 million associates worldwide. The
company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges
under the symbol WMT. Last year, Wal-Mart associates raised and contributed more
than $200 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has received the 2002 Fortune magazine No. 1 Most Admired
Company in the U.S., along with receiving the 2002 Ron Brown Award, the highest
Presidential Award recognizing outstanding achievement in employee relations and
community initiatives.
More information about Wal-Mart can be located
on-line at http://www.walmartstores.com and http://www.walmart.com. The SAM'S
CLUB Web site can be accessed at http://www.samsclub.com. And more information
about Wal-Mart's Good. Works. community involvement is available online at
http://www.walmartfoundation.org.
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