Raleigh, N.C. — Retail giant Wal-Mart plans to expand its North Carolina work force by 3,000 this year despite the recession.

David Cameron, general manager for the Carolinas, made the announcement during an Earth Day ceremony on Wednesday. Wal-Mart already employs more than 51,000 people in the state.

"In a time when many are suffering, we want North Carolinians to know that we are here to stay," Cameron said.

The company also “expects healthy growth” in the next two quarters of the year.

However, where the jobs will be added was not spelled out in the announcement.

Wa-Mart is the state’s largest private employer and operates 155 locations, including Wal-Mart Supercenters; Sam's Clubs and distribution centers.

As part of the Earth Day event, Wal-Mart also disclosed that it made grants of more than $7 million to North Carolina nonprofits in 2008.

“We are especially eager to step up in these tough economic times to help some of North Carolina's most deserving nonprofits,” said Chris Neeley, chairman of the North Carolina Wal-Mart Foundation State Giving Council.

Grant recipients included:

• American Diabetes Association, Charlotte, N.C.
• Andrews Valley Initiative, Andrews, N.C.
• Boys and Girls Club of Coastal Carolina Inc., Havelock, N.C.
• Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills Inc., Southern Pines, N.C.
• Bright Hopes, Charlotte, N.C.
• Burke County United Way, Morganton, N.C.
• Care Clinic Inc., Fayetteville, N.C.
• Citizen Schools Inc., Charlotte, N.C.
• City Rescue Mission Inc., Fayetteville, N.C.
• Communities in Schools of North Carolina Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
• Conservation Trust for North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C.
• Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C.
• Friendship Trays Inc., Charlotte, N.C.
• Girls Incorporated of the Albemarle Inc., Elizabeth City, N.C.
• Graham Children's Health Services of Toe River, Burnsville, N.C.
• Hospice Palliative Care of Greensboro, Greensboro, N.C.
• John Avery Boys Girls Club Inc., Durham, N.C.
• Keep Gastonia Beautiful Inc., Gastonia, N.C.
• Lower Cape Fear Hospice Incorporated, Wilmington, N.C.
• Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood, Cary, N.C.
• Lumber River Development Corp, Pembroke, N.C.
• Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas, Raleigh, N.C.
• North Carolina Big Sweep Inc., Zebulon, N.C.
• North Carolina Coastal Federation Inc., Wilmington, N.C.
• North Carolina Medical Society Foundation Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina Inc., Fayetteville, N.C.
• Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Asheville, N.C.
• Sturgeon City, Jacksonville, N.C.
• The Society of Saint Andrew NC, Durham, N.C.
• Triangle Land Conservancy Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
• Winston-Salem Street School, Winston-Salem, N.C.