Walmart's massive scale and footprint in the retail industry allows it do things big and that's what the company is doing to bring relief to Flint during the city's water crisis.
Walmart, In partnership with Coca-Cola, Nestle and PepsiCo, will collectively donate up to 6.5 million bottles of water to Flint Community Schools. The water will meet the daily needs of over 10,000 school children through the end of the calendar year.
"Our objective and our pledge is to say, no Mom or Dad will have to worry about their child when they go to school as to whether or not they will have a clean bottle of water," said Dan Bartlett, executive vice president of Corporate Affairs for Walmart. "They will have it."
Walmart had already donated over 500,000 bottles of water to Flint residents since last summer as well as almost 1,800 water filters, but Bartlett said it was important that the company do more.
Flint Community Schools Superintendent Bilal Tawwad said the donation was a huge relief. The support will allow will help the district focus on the planning for services that might be required for children impacted by lead exposure.
"The community has truly joined together around this crisis and it's going to take a community to bring us out of this crisis," Tawwad said. "I'm glad to see the donations and the prayers that are being sent out for Flint."
