The Walmart Business Advance

How Providence Park is creating local solutions to homelessness

Errin Stanger founded Providence Park with a mission to tackle chronic homelessness in her community. After connecting with individuals experiencing homelessness, she saw how the lack of affordable, reliable housing was a significant barrier. Providence Park will ultimately offer 400 tiny homes in North Little Rock, Arkansas, providing much-needed shelter and stability.  At Walmart, we believe that businesses thrive when they create value for society. That’s why we support organizations like Providence Park. In this episode, you’ll also hear from Christina Hinds, who worked with Errin to create wish lists and sponsorship packages to furnish these tiny homes, bringing hope and comfort to future residents. Walmart Business [https://business.walmart.com/cp/about-walmart-business/6136230]: The Walmart you love, now for your business. Walmart Foundation [https://walmart.org/]: invests in programs that help create economic opportunity, advance  sustainability and equity and strengthen local communities. Spark Good [https://www.walmart.org/what-we-do/strengthening-community/spark-good]:  brings together all of Walmart and Sam’s Club’s community giving programs under one brand and puts customers and Associates in the driver’s seat, making it easier to give to the causes they care most about.

Walmart’s Annual Open Call

Walmart's Annual Open Call [https://corporate.walmart.com/suppliers/investing-in-american-jobs/events/annual-open-call/open-call-2024] is at the heart of our commitment to U.S. manufacturing. Every year, we invite selected entrepreneurs to pitch their products to our Walmart and Sam's Club's merchants. Those selected get the opportunity to sell their merchandise to stores across the nation. Luke Schneider, Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee [https://www.firedeptcoffee.com/], is one of the many businesses that’s gotten a deal through the Open Call program. In this episode, Luke talks about the origins of his roastery, his experience attending Open Call, and his journey from a small-business owner to a Walmart supplier.  We’ll also hear from Tommy Reed, Walmart's Merchandise Director for the Coffee Category, who worked with Luke to bring Fire Department Coffee products to Walmart shelves in more than 2,000 stores across the country.

Welcome to The Walmart Business Advance

Walmart Business is proud to present The Walmart Business Advance, a series dedicated to highlighting the small and medium sized organizations that are Walmart Business customers and suppliers. Hosted by Ashley Hubka, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Walmart Business, each episode will spotlight a new company, letting them tell their story, and what they’ve learned along the way. Subscribe now to hear practical insights on how to scale your business or nonprofit.