Affording a Thanksgiving meal can be tough for some Americans and an Ohio Walmart store is holding a food drive to benefit those in need. The catch? The donations will go to store employees.
According to ABC News, a store in Canton put out large plastic bins in an employee-only area to collect food. Signs on the bins read “Please donate food items here so Associates in Need can enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner.” A photo of the donation containers was posted on the website OUR Walmart, which is an advocacy group for employees of the company.
But Walmart spokesman Kyle Lundberg said the food drive was being viewed in the wrong light.
“Quite frankly, a lot of people in that store are frustrated and offended that this is reported in a way besides other folks rallying around each other,” Lundberg told ABC News.
He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the collection is for people who have had unexpected hardships, such as a spouse losing a job. He added that it’s part of the company’s culture to “rally around associates” who are going through tough times.
Vanessa Ferreira, an organizer at OUR Walmart, saw things differently.
“Why would a company do that?” she told the paper. “The company needs to stand up and give them their 40 hours and a living wage, so they don’t have to worry about whether they can afford Thanksgiving.”
Lundberg countered by saying the group was deliberately overreacting and blowing the food drive out of proportion. The drive has apparently been happening for years, and Lundberg said 12 people received the donations last year.
The employee who took the photo told the Plain Dealer that it was “kind of depressing” and “demoralizing.”
Add to the mix the fact that employees of the retail giant have been striking all across the nation. Walmart associates and union supporters protested briefly outside the Dayton store on Monday. One aspect of the strikes is ensuring that no Walmart employee makes less than $25,000 annually.
