Walmart opened the first Walmart Neighborhood Market in NYS on Friday, July 12 at 8 a.m., following a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new store, 49,000 s/f and one-third the size of a Walmart Supercenter, is located at 3335 Hempstead Tpke. in Mews Plaza. The store will provide local customers with a new, convenient option for their grocery shopping needs, including fresh produce and pharmacy services. The Walmart Neighborhood Market format offers quick and convenient shopping, with a full grocery department, including organic and natural selections. The store features prepared food options, fresh-baked breads, self-serve deli and a bakery. The pharmacy offers a full range of products and services. Pharmacy team members can answer product and prescription questions and offer health and wellness solutions. As part of its opening celebration, the store presented grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation to local community groups, including: * Nassau County Police Athletic League (Levittown Unit) ($2,500) * Long Island Center for Independent Living ($2,500) * Hempstead Boys & Girls Club ($2,500) * Levittown Volunteer Fire Department ($2,420) Walmart also donated $50,000 from the Walmart Foundation's State Giving Council to the Long Island Council of Churches (LICC) for emergency food purchases for its hungry guests in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. "We are very grateful for this support, which comes at a time when a growing number of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet," said the Rev. Tom Goodhue, the Long Island Council of Churches' executive director. "The numbers of people we feed each year keeps increasing, particularly the number of children, and this grant will make a huge difference in their lives and the lives of their parents." Representatives from the Long Island Center for Independent Living and other groups receiving grants were on hand at the grand opening for a check presentation with store associates. The new store employs more than 100 full- and part-time associates. The first Walmart Neighborhood Market opened in 1998, and today there are approximately 250 Walmart Neighborhood Market stores nationwide. The Levittown Neighborhood Market manager, Nadine Negron, has been with Walmart for four years and has risen through the ranks of management, beginning her career as an assistant manager trainee and later moving on to be a fashion assistant manager at Walmart in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey and co-manager of Walmart in Secaucus, New Jersey. She brings with her 15 years of retail experience at various supermarkets, including Whole Foods Market and Kings Food Markets, where she served as assistant store manager and store manager. A former culinary school graduate, Negron looks forward to bringing her passion for food and customer service to her new customers on Long Island. "We're committed to saving people money so they can live better," said Negron. "Our new store will benefit our community by providing job opportunities, helping working families save money, generating tax revenue and contributing to local charitable organizations." "We are very excited to welcome Walmart to Levittown and to our business community, and could not be more pleased that they have chosen to revitalize a vacant space at such a vital location in our town. The jobs and economic activity are sorely needed," said Steven Philmus, president, Levittown Chamber of Commerce.