In 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store—a small, discount retailer in Rogers, Arkansas. In the years since, the company has grown to serve millions of customers through a network of nearly 11,500 stores in 27 countries, staffed by 2.2 million employees. The company went public in 1970, and today it ranks among the world's largest retailers.
The company’s philanthropic arm, the Walmart Foundation, was established in 1972 and focuses its efforts on three major areas: advancing sustainability of supply chains, creating economic opportunity, and strengthening community. Sustainability efforts include advancements in food safety and protection of environmental hot spots, while the foundation’s economic opportunity goals focus on building an inclusive and mobile retail sector, and removing market access barriers for smallholder farmers* and entrepreneurs. (*Smallholder refers to those farmers with limited land, often single-family)
Walmart Foundation’s commitment to strengthening communities and creating economic opportunity places special emphasis on funding that supports greater diversity, equity, and inclusion. To that end, the Foundation supports college access and job training programs, as well as small businesses owned by women and minorities.
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation launched a partnership with HSF in 1998, which in the years since, has funded scholarships and related Scholar Support Services. The Walmart Foundation/HSF Scholarship program has awarded crucial financial support to thousands of HSF Scholars, while its underwriting of Scholar Support Services help provide them, and many additional thousands of HSF Scholars, access to mentoring; leadership development; knowledge building, as well as personal wellness; and internships and post-graduation employment opportunities, all of which are vital to their long-term success.