Fayetteville, Ark. December 14, 2016 – Today, there was a launch celebration for the DVD release of Greater, the story of Brandon Burlsworth, at 11:00 a.m. at the Walker Indoor Practice facility on the U of A campus. The DVD will be released in Walmart stores and on Wamart.com on Dec. 20. In addition to the launch celebration, there will be a check presentation to the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation.
The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation will receive a total of $75,000 in grant monies from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program. $25,000 will be used to support the national Burlsworth Character and Sportsmanship Award. The award honors a player who embodies the ideals and values that Brandon Burlsworth represented – Giving 100 percent on the field and standing as a moral example to his team.
The additional $50,000 will support Eyes of a Champion, which addresses eye care for children across Arkansas. The Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in cooperation with the Walmart/Sam’s Optical Department and independent optometrists across the state, provide free vision exams and glasses to low-income, uninsured children. This enables children who would otherwise not receive the eye care and eyewear they need to do their best work in school as well as perform their best at play.
There was also a Facebook Live event with the producer, Brian Reindl, and star of the movie, Chris Severio. Chris and his family lost their home earlier this year during the Baton Rouge flooding, and was presented with at $500 Walmart gift card to help with his expenses.
The Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better, awarding grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S.
To be considered for support, perspective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program’s online grant application. Applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status to meet the program’s minimum eligibility criteria. Additional information about the program’s funding guidelines and application process are available online at www.walmartfoundation.org/stategiving.
About Philanthropy at Walmart By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. We have stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. We are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate and inspiring our associates to give back. Whether it is helping to lead the fight against hunger in the United States with $2 billion in cash and in-kind donations or supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment through a series of grants totaling $10 million to the Women in Factories training program in Bangladesh, China, India and Central America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit http://www.foundation.walmart.com.