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Share Our Strength Founder and Executive Director Bill Shore today announced that the organization received a $1.5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to support and expand their nutrition education programs for low-income families in the United States.

The grant will expand the number of markets that offer Share Our Strength’s nutrition-based cooking classes that help families help themselves by teaching them how to prepare healthy, low-cost meals. Walmart’s investment will allow Share Our Strength to reach 11,000 families annually, by expanding these courses to three to five additional markets within the year. The program’s culinary and nutrition volunteers currently teach hundreds of nutrition education courses in 26 markets nationwide. In the coming weeks, Share Our Strength will be distributing nearly $400,000 of the Walmart funds to these local markets to support their new outreach and education efforts.

The grant is part of Walmart’s recently announced $2 billion commitment to help end hunger in America through its “Fighting Hunger Together” initiative, which includes giving $250 million in grants to hunger relief organizations and donating more than 1.1 billion pounds of food from Walmart stores, distribution centers and Sam’s Club locations, valued at $1.75 billion.

“Providing daily healthy meals is the best way to end the hunger crisis that affect millions of children in America,” said Shore. “Walmart’s generous grant will make a positive difference for thousands of families and children across our country.”

Walmart’s support will also make possible the launch of Supermarket Smarts, Share Our Strength’s first nationwide program that will teach families budget-wise ways to select and purchase healthy foods. Walmart’s grant will enable Share Our Strength to reach thousands of children under the age of five who are in childcare centers through Eating Smart from the Start, a program dedicated to helping kids develop healthy eating habits at an early age.

“We’re committed to fighting childhood hunger–it’s a key part to our work to help end hunger in America,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “Our partnership with Share Our Strength provides families, especially children, with access to healthy, affordable food. This innovative program will help thousands of families make smart eating decisions, regardless of income level.”

Share Our Strength, the leading organization working to ensure that no child goes hungry in America, has been teaching low-income families how to cook better for less since 1993. For nearly seventeen years, professional chefs and nutritionists have been volunteering their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that teach adults, teens and kids how to get the most nutrition out of a limited budget.