Each year, the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) teams up with a network of food industry partners to source and distribute millions of pounds of food across our 21-county service area. Walmart and Sam’s Club are among these partners. Their ongoing support helps make sure that nutritious food reaches families throughout Central Texas.
This spring, Walmart and Sam’s Club are once again taking part in their annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. This nationwide effort invites customers to support local food banks through donations at checkout, online giving, and by purchasing participating products.
This campaign raising important awareness and resources for hunger relief, is representative of a much larger, ongoing partnership that plays a critical role in moving food locally, from store shelves to neighbor tables.
Moving Food at Scale
Behind every meal distributed is a complex system of sourcing, transportation, and coordination. In Central Texas alone, more than 40 Walmart store locations, and nine Sam’s Clubs, work directly with CTFB and our robust Partner Agency network, providing consistent food donations year-round. In 2025 alone, these stores contributed more than 11 million pounds of food, supported by 174 weekly donation pickups.
Since 2018, these 54 locations have donated over 81 million pounds of food, which helps supply food pantries, mobile distributions, and community programs across the region. These partnerships are vital to food banking. They connect surplus food from retailers with neighbors who can use it quickly and efficiently.
From Store to Community
Food donated through retail partnerships doesn’t stay in one spot. It moves through a network of partner agencies and programs designed to reach communities throughout Central Texas. For many local pantries and community organizations, these donations help keep shelves stocked with a mix of fresh and shelf-stable items.
These local connections turn large donations into everyday meals.
A Year-Round Effort
The annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign offers a chance for the community to invest in hunger relief, but the work to increase food access to our neighbors is a dedicated, year-round effort. This means regular pickups, coordinated logistics, and ongoing teamwork to ensure food reaches our neighbors when they most need it. Consistency with corporate partnerships like this remains a critical part of our food sourcing strategy, as demand for our services continues to rise.
How You Can Get Involved
During the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, community members can support hunger relief in a few simple ways:
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Donate at checkout at local Walmart and Sam’s Club stores.
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Give online through the campaign platform.
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Purchase participating products that help generate donations.
These small actions, combined with ongoing food donations from corporate partners like Walmart and Sam's Club, help strengthen the systems that make food access possible across our region.
A Shared Effort
Hunger relief relies on collaboration from food industry partners, community organizations, volunteers, and supporters across Central Texas. Retail partnerships like these are essential for ensuring that food continues to flow where it's needed most. They support families, strengthen communities, and help make tomorrow possible.
