AROUND TOWN: Wal-Mart gifts nonprofits with thousands in grants

Lights blinking on Christmas trees, socks hung from the fireplace mantel and masses of red poinsettias set the holiday mood as Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart Foundation played Santa Tuesday night at a dinner at Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

Tens of thousands of dollars in philanthropic grants were awarded to 29 nonprofits in Wal-Mart’s main focus areas: education, workforce development and economic opportunity, environmental sustainability and health and wellness.

Market manager Gary Peacock said the business is “operating globally but giving back locally.”

Across the nation each Wal-Mart store selects a school in its area for the Teacher Reward Program, with 10 teachers in each school receiving $100 each to use for supplies — instead of spending their own money.

Falcon store manager Marcus Skaggs and Sara Cuna introduced Falcon Elementary School of Technology Principal Malinda Keck and Dean of Students Kim Leon, who said they had a much-anticipated drawing to choose the10 teachers. Some used the money for supplies and others added snacks for low-income children.

“We have so much to be thankful for,” said Keck. “Some of our children come to school hungry.”

On one occasion, with Wal-Mart’s help, 40 families were able to comepick out food and other items to take home. And, said Keck, tearing up, an “angel tree” for 45 students still had some requests unfulfilled until she called Cuna and every child received an “angel tree”-requested gift.

Peacock and Market Manager Ron McCall, along with store managers, announced major grants as part of the Wal-Mart State Giving Program. Care and Share Food Bank, which saw need jump from 14 million pounds of food throughout southern Colorado to 18.5 million pounds of food during fiscal 2010, received $50,000. Also receiving $50,000 was the Women’s Resource Agency, which will serve 800 more women with its new mobile Dress for Success program.

Children’s Literacy Center will increase its free one-to-one tutoring programs with its $45,000 grant. Gina Solazzi said there are 900 volunteers working with 900 students.

For Cheyenne Village, which helps people with disabilities learn to lead independent lives, the $25,000 received will help transform its wellness programs. Executive director Ann Turner told the audience that the life expectancy for the disabled is not the same as for those without disabilities. Those they serve need the support to learn how to live healthy lives, she said.

The $25,000 earmarked for Ecumenical Social Ministries will, said executive director Carolyn McDole, help buy food at a time of increased need.

Court Appointed Special Advocates Board Co-Chair Sherri Newell said the $25,000 received will help toward more train more volunteers to help more abused and neglected children have safe lives and permanency. The importance just keeps growing, said Newell, saying she hoped everyone had seen last week’s child abuse series by Barbara Cotter in The Gazette, showing that El Paso County once again had the highest number of reports of child abuse in the state.

Each of the Wal-Mart stores in El Paso, Park and Teller counties had donations for chosen nonprofits in their areas:

Little Chapel Food Pantry, Woodland Park; Bob Telmossé Foundation, Razorback store; Pikes Peak Community Action Agency, Woodmen store; High Plains Helping Hands, Falcon; Proteus Syndrome Foundation; The Home Front Cares; Prince Hall Foundation to help children of color become teachers, Palmer Park store; Tri-Lakes YMCA, Monument; Make-a-Wish Foundation, Razorback store; Falcon Senior Services for a new senior center, Falcon store; Therapeutic Recreation Community Partners, Woodmen store; Christmas Unlimited, Platte store; Choices, which supports teens and young adults facing life-altering decisions, Woodland Park; Griffith Centers for Children, Monument; The Lotus Center for Self to strengthen military families, Razorback store.

Also: Woodland Park Chamber Foundation to support and advance education beyond traditionally supported school district activities; Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, Palmer Park store; Kidpower to teach young people personal safety, Eighth Street store; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Fountain store; Marian House Soup Kitchen, Platte store; Mended Little Hearts, Palmer Park store; Partners in Philanthropy, honored for its Success by 6 school-readiness initiative and a focus on home visitation.

Local community contributions in 2011: Care and Share food donation, 681,911 pounds; Children’s Miracle Network, $67,161; community grants, $99,000; in-kind donations, $170,570; Teacher of the Year grants, $9,000; and Volunteerism Always Pays, $9,700.