Amazon and Walmart Support LA Wildfire Relief Efforts

While Amazon and Walmart may be fierce competitors in the retail world, their commitment to helping those in need during times of crisis proves even corporate rivals can unite in the face of disaster.

Both companies have pledged significant financial support to assist victims of the recent wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area, offering critical resources to affected communities, first responders and local organizations. Their collective efforts highlight the power of corporate philanthropy when disaster strikes.

Amazon committed $10 million to support relief efforts for communities in the Los Angeles area affected by recent wildfires, many of those communities home to Amazon employees and their families. The donation will go to local and national disaster response organizations, including the American Red Cross, FireAid, MusiCares Fire Relief and World Central Kitchen.

Additionally, Amazon donated more than 415,000 essential items to 29 organizations, including fire stations and community groups, and continues to send supplies such as food, water, shelter items and medical equipment. The company is leveraging its AWS cloud technology, including drone support, to assist emergency responders.

Meanwhile, Walmart donated $2.5 million to help Los Angeles fire victims. This includes donations of food, water, essential products and grants.

The official statement from Walmart reads:

“Associates, customers, and members in the communities we serve are experiencing the devastating impacts of the wildfires in Southern California. Our thoughts are with those affected, and we are acting quickly to help. Walmart, Sam’s Club, and the Walmart Foundation are committing $2.5 million to support relief efforts, including donations of food, water, essential products and grants. Over the past several days, Walmart stores in Southern California have donated food, water, and gift cards to help first responders and shelters support people in need. We’re also working with nonprofits and suppliers to bring resources into communities. Throughout the response, we’ll continue looking for ways to support our associates, customers, members, and their families.”

Here’s a look at other notable developments from Amazon and Walmart in the past week:

Amazon Highlights

Amazon Suspends Drone Delivery in Texas and Arizona: Amazon suspended its drone delivery services at its College Station, Texas, and Tolleson, Ariz., facilities as of Jan. 17, 2025, to implement software updates. This pause follows a safety incident in December at a testing facility in Pendleton, Ore., where two drones crashed due to a software malfunction. However, Amazon stated that the incident was not the primary reason for the suspension. Despite challenges, including earlier layoffs and noise complaints in College Station, Amazon remains focused on expanding its Prime Air drone delivery program and assured that employees at both locations will continue to be paid during the service interruption. The company plans to resume operations once the necessary updates are completed and approved by the FAA.

Amazon has spent over $100 million to acquire two parcels of land in Fayette County, Ohio, for data center development. The 589 acres will be Amazon’s first data center site outside central Ohio, with construction set to begin in early 2025. The project is part of Amazon Web Service’s larger $10 billion investment in Ohio by 2030, which will create over 100 jobs directly and support many more through supply chains. This expansion adds to Ohio’s growing tech presence, as state officials anticipate increased electricity demand due to the surge in data centers.

Walmart Highlights

Walmart Launches In-Home Testing: Walmart launched an in-home user testing program that allows verified customers to receive products, test them and provide feedback to suppliers. This program, available to suppliers subscribing to Walmart’s insights platform (soon to be renamed Scintilla), leverages Walmart’s massive customer base and data capabilities to conduct market research. By utilizing its Customer Spark Community, an exclusive group of shoppers, Walmart can offer tailored feedback to suppliers on new or existing products. This initiative, tested with brands like Duracell, leverages Walmart’s ability to integrate retail data with customer behavior, providing valuable insights to brands while strengthening its role in the market research space with more targeted and efficient product testing.

Walmart Opens New Stores: Walmart is expanding its U.S. presence in 2025 by opening new stores in strategic locations, including Mountain View and Eastvale in California and several cities in Texas such as Cypress and Frisco. Additionally, the company will grow its Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club network, offering more personalized shopping experiences and wholesale membership options. The Neighborhood Markets will open in cities like Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Milton, Fla., while a new Sam’s Club location will open in Tempe, Ariz.