• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, January 13, 2011

Some of the country's largest retailers are kicking off the New Year with expanded commitment to their signature causes, with Walmart, Kohl's and Macy's all announcing new initiatives.

Already committed to many child-focused efforts, Kohl's says it is donating $1.5 million over a three-year period to a "Serving Up Supper for Kids" program that will provide some 336,000 meals during summer months, when kids are not in school and have no access to federal food programs. The Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based chain says it will fund the donation through its Kohl's Cares cause merchandise program, which sells plush toys and books and donates 100% of profits to initiatives nationwide.

Kohl's says the donation also fits into the company's hunger-fighting initiatives, which include food drives and donating fresh produce from Kohl's corporate gardens, including green peppers, beans, cabbage, squash, salad greens, pumpkins and tomatoes. Since 2000, it says, and including the latest gift, such efforts have provided $36 million to support charitable initiatives in the metro-Milwaukee area.

Salt Lake City is the big gainer in Walmart's latest giveaway, winning $1 million in hunger grants in the retailer's Facebook "Fighting Hunger Together" contest. More than 5 million people voted for Salt Lake City, with Fresno, Calif., Columbia, S.C., Ogden, Utah, Charleston, S.C., and Bakersfield, Calif. earning $100,000 as runner-ups.

The cities competing for the grants, part of the Bentonville, Ark.-based chain's $2 billion hunger-fighting initiative, were chosen based on the highest rates of food hardship. Walmart says it intends to keep fans of the contest updated, posting success stories, videos and photos to show the impact the grants are making in each area.

And finally, Macy's is launching "The Workshop at Macy's," an educational program for minority- and women-owned businesses. The company, which says the effort is part of its longstanding commitment to vendor diversity, will provide four and a half days of intensive training, taught by Macy's executives, industry experts, and key retail partners, including Lisa Price, founder of Carol's Daughter.