JA BizTown and Walmart Partnership
Portland, OR — Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington (JA) will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 18 at 9:00 a.m. to celebrate Walmart’s new storefront and sponsorship within JA BizTown in SE Portland. The Walmart Foundation’s significant investment of $150,000 to the local JA BizTown and JA Finance Park programs will help further JA’s mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
Since JA BizTown opened locally in 2007, over 100,000 students have visited for a day of interactive learning where they make business, finance, and purchasing decisions in a simulated economic environment.
“Our programs allow young people to connect critical classroom knowledge with real-life experiences. Familiar partners like Walmart help bring these lessons full circle for the student citizens of BizTown,” said Ryan Deckert, President of JA. “We are excited for today’s grand opening of the Walmart storefront in JA BizTown, and grateful for Walmart’s generous and continued support of JA.”
“Walmart is proud to sponsor such an innovative and transformative program for local students. It’s exciting to see our brand among all of the community partners that prioritize hands-on business learning opportunities for kids in Oregon and SW Washington,” said Michelle Taft, Walmart Market HR Manager.
About Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington
Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington (JA) inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy through volunteer-delivered, experiential programs for K-12 students that promote work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Established locally in 1950, JA is an affiliate of Junior Achievement USA, which has worked for over a century to empower young people to own their economic success. Visit www.jaorswwa.org for more information.
JA of Oregon and SW Washington is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, and wholly reliant on the financial and volunteer support of individuals, foundations, and businesses. Their hands-on experiential programs served nearly 45,000 students from the region in 2018-19, 42% of which came from low-income families.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where our business has unique strengths, we work to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or find us on Twitter @Walmartorg.