Originally published at corporate.walmart.com. Senior Vice President of Transportation at Walmart. Walmart ranked No. 26 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2022.
We think about the holidays as the most wonderful time of the year filled with gifts, traditions and gathering around the table. But for many families, there is an empty seat at that table.
For our veteran and military families, it’s important they know their loved ones are not forgotten. That’s why for 15 years, it has been our privilege to participate in Wreaths Across America, which honors veterans by laying balsam fir holiday wreaths on their graves and at the 9/11 memorial site.
Each December, individuals of all backgrounds and from thousands of organizations participate in National Wreaths Across America Day. Events are held in thousands of cemeteries to honor men and women who served in the Revolutionary War through present day conflicts. But how do the wreaths get to those sites? That’s where Walmart comes in.
Since 2008, we have supported Wreaths Across America in various ways, and what started as local support has grown a great deal. For 2022’s National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 17, 2022, Walmart is donating the services of 16 tractor trailers to transport 100,000 veterans wreaths to participating ceremonies across the country. This year, 40 Walmart Distribution Centers and 100 Walmart drivers across the country will be involved in transporting wreaths from Columbia Falls, Maine, to their final destinations.
Additionally, Walmart has supported Wreaths Across America with over $3.3 million in cash and in-kind contributions since 2011, which includes more than $150,000 this fiscal year.
I’m so appreciative of our drivers who go the extra mile, not only to serve customers, but also to honor those who defended our country and our freedoms. Walmart is consistently chosen as the best place to work as a driver, and our support of Wreaths Across America is part of what makes it a special place to work.
Wreaths Across America is built on a mission: Remember, Honor and Teach. Their commitment lasts all year long, far beyond the single day in December when they coordinate wreath-laying ceremonies. We believe in this mission and want to do our part to give back to those who have given so much.
