Walmart awards $29k grant to SASi

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

Walmart awarded Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc. (SASi) a grant totaling $28,750 on Thursday. After handing the “big check” to SASi executive director Ellen Weissman, Walmart employees Diane Ganzer and Tabby Withrow hung around the Sandpoint Senior Center to chat with participants.

“SASi has been a recipient to our grant before,” said Ganzer, the personnel coordinator for Walmart. “We’re happy to be able to fund what they’ve asked for.”

Walmart employees stand with a group of Sandpoint seniors after handing SASi a check for $28,750 on Thursday. Photo by Ben Olson.

The grant came as part of the Walmart Foundation’s commitment to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts that affect sustainability, economic opportunity and community. Specifically, the Walmart Foundation has been focusing on creating a more sustainable food system worldwide, donating over $2 billion worldwide to fight hunger.

Weissman said the grant would be used primarily to purchase food for the meals program, which serves over 2,000 people a month.

“It feels great that Walmart is supporting us,” said Weissman. “It saves us from making pleas to the community. The mission of the Walmart Foundation has been focused on hunger and that’s what we’re all about here—making sure that seniors get fed.”

To find out more information about the Sandpoint Senior Center or the DayBreak Adult Day Care Center, drop by and say hello at 820 Main Street in Sandpoint.