OREANDA-NEWS. August 15, 2012. Walmart announced a donation of up to USD 4.5 million to help 90,000 teachers in the U.S. purchase much-needed classroom supplies. In its fourth year, the Teacher Rewards program will help offset the cost of classroom expenses for teachers across the country. These funds come at a critical time, as U.S. teachers going back to school will often spend their own money to ensure their students have the supplies they need to learn throughout the school year.

Also today, in addition to the Teacher Rewards program, Walmart is sponsoring the “Teachers Rock” benefit concert that will take place tonight at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and air on August 17 on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET. Proceeds from the concert will benefit DonorsChoose.org, Feeding America and Teach for America.

“Each year teachers across the country provide their time, talents and often their own money to ensure students have what they need to be successful in the classroom,” said Michelle Gilliard, senior director of giving at Walmart. “Through our Teacher Rewards program we will once again send our nation’s teachers back to school with the support and resources they need to continue educating the future leaders of our country.”

Through the Teacher Rewards program, more than 4,600 U.S. Walmart stores, Distribution Centers and Sam’s Club locations are eligible to select one local kindergarten through eighth grade public school and provide USD 50 reward cards to 20 teachers. Winning teachers can use the funds to purchase essential items for their classrooms such as paper, folders, binders, clipboards, pens, pencils, crayons and markers. Local stores will begin selecting schools to participate in late August.

The Teacher Rewards program is an example of Walmart’s ongoing support of education initiatives that help students prepare for their future. In 2011, Walmart and its Foundation donated more than USD 50 million to fund education programs across the country.