Dallas, TX, Sept. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Hunger Action Month ™ inspires the collective action required to support millions of people facing hunger across the country, the North Texas community is demonstrating the power of neighbors helping neighbors.
Throughout the 13th annual Walmart and Sam's Club Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign that took place April 6-May 3, 2026, local shoppers, associates, suppliers and supporters helped raise $235,029 for North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) to support local families experiencing food insecurity.
The funds will help the NTFB provide nutritious food and essential resources to neighbors across the region, working in partnership with its network of feeding agencies, including the Community Food Pantry of McKinney, which collects grocery donations each week from nearby Walmart stores. Executive Director Melody Krill says the pantry continues to see rising need, especially among neighbors who are working but struggling to keep pace with the increasing cost of living. She notes that Walmart’s donations allow the pantry to offer fresh items and a wider variety of goods that would otherwise be out of reach. “We’re just so truly grateful for the partnership we have with Walmart,” Krill said.
Together, we help ensure families, children, seniors and veterans can access nutritious food close to home.
Supported by local shoppers, Walmart and Sam's Club associates, and participating food and beverage suppliers, the campaign donations provide support at a critical time for the estimated 800,000 people in North Texas experiencing food insecurity.
"Ending hunger takes more than one solution. It takes people who are willing to look out for one another and take action in their community," said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. "Every day, we see neighbors who are working hard but still need support putting food on the table. Thanks to the generosity of our community and the ongoing partnership of Walmart and Sam's Club, we can help provide food and hope through our trusted local partners.”
This Hunger Action Month, NTFB is encouraging community members to recognize that everyone has a role in helping end hunger. The annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign demonstrates what is possible when shoppers, retailers, food manufacturers and hunger-relief organizations work together to support local families.
To date, the campaign has helped secure more than 2.4 billion meals* for the Feeding America® network of local food banks. In North Texas, support from Fight Hunger. Spark Change. helps NTFB distribute food through a network of 500 food pantries and organizations across its 12-county service area.
“What I love about Fight Hunger. Spark Change. is that it starts right in our communities. It’s a customer or member adding a donation at checkout, an associate volunteering, a food bank team loading a truck or a local pantry helping a family put dinner on the table,” said Kayla Burton, Senior Manager of Cause Marketing and Customer Engagement at Walmart. “All of those individual actions add up, and we’re proud to work alongside Feeding America and local food banks to help neighbors get the food they need.”
The annual campaign builds on more than 20 years of partnership between Walmart, Sam's Club and Feeding America, a transformational hunger relief partnership that has provided more than $300 million and more than 10 billion pounds of food to nourish communities and increase access to the food we all deserve.
Since 2014, the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign has helped generate more than $245 million for Feeding America and local partner food banks across the country and helped to secure more than 2.4 billion meals* for people facing hunger.
Beyond Fight Hunger. Spark Change., Walmart's year-round support includes robust food donations and investments that help strengthen hunger relief infrastructure, enabling food banks and their community partners to rescue, transport and distribute more food to people who need it.
The 25 participating Fight Hunger. Spark Change. suppliers for Walmart include: Ben's Original™, Bush Brothers & Company, Campbells, Chef Boyardee, Conagra Foods, Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, Frito-Lay North America, Inc., Garden Veggie Straws®, General Mills, Hershey Salty Snacks Company, Hidden Valley, Kellanova, Keurig Dr Pepper, Kodiak, Kraft Heinz, Materne, Milo's, Mondelez International, OLIPOP, RED BARON, The Coca-Cola Company, WK Kellogg Co, Unilever, Utz Quality Foods, and Welch's® Fruit 'n Yogurt™ Snacks.
The eight participating Fight Hunger. Spark Change. suppliers for Sam's Club include: General Mills, Hershey Salty Snacks Company, Kellanova, Kodiak, Kraft Heinz, Materne, Unilever and WK Kellogg Co.
Sam’s Club was recently honored as the Retail Partner of the Year at NTFB’s 19th Annual Golden Fork Awards, recognizing its daily commitment to rescuing fresh, nutritious food for neighbors facing hunger. In the last fiscal year alone, Sam’s Club provided 5.4 million meals through NTFB’s retail program, with 80% consisting of produce, protein, dairy and prepared meals. Their partnership plays a critical role in ensuring agency partners have access to a wide variety of nourishing foods, strengthening NTFB’s ability to serve the community.
As Hunger Action Month continues, NTFB encourages community members to take action by volunteering, advocating, donating or supporting local hunger-relief efforts.
To learn more about how you can help support neighbors facing hunger in North Texas, visit http://www.ntfb.org/ .
About North Texas Food Bank
North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a leading nonprofit organization that fights hunger and provides children, seniors and families in North Texas access to nutritious food. For over 40 years, we have been at the forefront of hunger relief, committed to ensuring that no one in our community lacks access to healthy food. Our extensive network of 500 food pantries and organizations, volunteers, and donors enables us to deliver more than 141 million meals last year to those in need. Beyond just addressing hunger, we focus on nourishing lives by offering nutrition education, investing in our network partners, innovating solutions to eliminate hunger and advocating for policies that tackle the root causes of food insecurity.
Our dedication to excellence is reflected in our 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, highlighting our strong governance, integrity, and financial stability. As a proud member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief network, we are committed to ensuring everyone in North Texas has the nourishment needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. For more information, visit http://www.ntfb.org/ or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank.
Jeff Smith North Texas Food Bank 4698917022 jeff.smith@ntfb.org
