In just two weeks, customers at 289 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. donated nearly $1.7 million to a variety of relief organizations, including Action Against Hunger, American Red Cross, AmeriCares, Doctors Without Borders, Food for the Poor and Partners in Health.

Whole Foods Market’s Team Members contributed more than $58,400 to a special “Haitian Fund” to support fellow Team Members whose friends and family have been affected by the earthquake. Whole Foods Market has nearly 2,000 Haitian Team Members working in its stores.

Through our Whole Planet Foundation, Whole Foods Market provided $1 million to Fonkoze, allowing the microcredit organization to be among the first to provide banking services to people in Haiti following the earthquake.

Haiti-based Fonkoze serves more than 55,000 women borrowers and 1 million families who receive remittances from relatives and friends abroad, and has been a partner of Whole Planet Foundation since March 2009.  The Whole Planet Foundation contribution allowed Fonkoze to rebuild critical infrastructure and open its branch offices, giving Haitians access to cash, money transfers and much-needed loans to re-establish their businesses.

“Whole Foods Market’s gift is the largest single contribution that Fonkoze has received and more importantly, it was delivered to us less than a week after the earthquake,” says Anne Hastings, director of Fonkoze Financial Services.  “Thanks to this immediate financial assistance, we were the first bank to open in Haiti, allowing us to get much-needed cash to our customers and microloans to members who need to re-establish their businesses. This is a first and major step toward economic recovery for Haiti.”

While not surprised by the out-pouring of cash donations, we are extremely humbled and grateful that our customers and Team Members contributed to help so many others in need. Thank you.

•Posted 1/22/2010•

We are humbled and honored to announce that in one week, Whole Foods Market customers have donated $1 million to Haitian relief efforts. The donation drive will continue through January 31^st. (Read the post below for specifics on the relief organizations we are supporting.)

Additionally, through our nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation, we are doubling our original commitment to now provide $1 million to our on-the-ground microlending partner in Haiti, Fonkoze.  As one of Haiti’s leading microfinance institutions, Fonkoze offers microcredit along with a full range of financial services to the poor and underserved throughout the country.  “Fonkoze is working right now to meet the needs of impoverished Haitians and help them to recover from this devastating disaster,” said Philip Sansone, president and executive director of Whole Planet Foundation. “They are working tirelessly to get basic banking services up and running now, and eventually, will provide Haitians with much-needed loans to reestablish their businesses.”

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Posted 1/15/2010

In the wake of a devastating earthquake in Haiti that has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and many more deeply affected, our 289 stores in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom have partnered with various disaster relief and humanitarian aide organizations to collect donations at our registers.  Our shoppers can give any amount at the checkouts to directly support several different relief organizations.

In addition, we have created a special “Haitian Fund” to support Team Members who have been affected by the earthquake.

“We have many Team Members from Haiti, and together we are supporting them by taking these steps,” said Walter Robb, co-president and chief operating officer at Whole Foods Market. “We’re also setting up donation boxes in employee areas in stores, facilities and offices.”

Our Team Members across different regions are taking the initiative to help in a number of ways, from collecting clothes and running food drives to putting on fundraising dinners in the stores. We are also looking into other ways to help, including working with vendors to deliver additional food and water to the country, and researching whether we can help Team Member volunteers participate in relief efforts which are going to be needed for the months to come.

Through January 31st, shoppers can conveniently make donations at Whole Foods Market’s registers. Shoppers can contribute $1, $2, $5, $10, or any designated amount to each store’s selected non-profit relief organizations.  These include:

• AmeriCares — Our stores in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Northwest and Southern Pacific regions will give to AmeriCares, a disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization that provides immediate response to those in need of emergency medical treatment.
• Food for the Poor — Our stores in Florida and the Southwest region will give to this Miami-based organization with an infrastructure in Haiti. It is the largest international relief organization in the United States.
• American Red Cross — Our stores in the Northern California, Rocky Mountain and South regions will give to the Red Cross, an emergency response organization that aids victims of devastating natural disasters.
• Partners in Health — Our stores in the North Atlantic region, home to the highest concentration of Haitians in the U.S., will give to this Boston-based organization which brings modern medical care to poor communities in nine countries around the world.
• Doctors Without Borders — Our Toronto-area stores will give to this international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries.
• Action Against Hunger — Whole Foods Market’s United Kingdom stores will give to this organization, which has mounted an emergency response to provide clean water, sanitation equipment and emergency supplies for survivors.

Whole Planet Foundation, our non-profit organization that helps developing countries through microfinance, works with Fonkoze, its trusted on-the-ground partner in Haiti. Fonkoze works to meet the needs of impoverished Haitians and will be helping them recover from this devastating disaster. Fonkoze’s Earthquake News page details the most current information on Fonkoze and their microcredit clients and explains how to designate a donation for earthquake relief.

Thank you all for the outpouring of generosity and we will keep you updated on our efforts.

We want to extend our appreciations to the hundreds of folks who responded to two of our holiday giveaways: Jim Brickman’s Bag of Goodies and Beautiful World.

In all of the holiday madness, we forgot to announce the winners who received Better Bags filled with grocery goodies and Jim Brickman merchandise!  So here’s a quick congratulations to Cathy Price and Robin O’Sullivan.  Keep an eye out for more contests, giveaways and fun promotions coming up throughout the year.

Need some last minute help in ringing in the New Year?  Check out our Champagne Primer to make sure you’re serving the perfect bubbly for your taste and budget.  Having guests over?  Take a look at our Entertaining with Wine and Cheese guide.  And remember, above all else – celebrate safely and responsibly!

It’s that time of year again – when we examine our waistlines and lifestyle choices and set ambitious goals for the New Year. We’ve got lots of suggestions to share throughout the month of January, but we wanted to kick it all off with three very special ones we’re focusing on and a way for you to join in!

Does one of these intentions sound like something you’d like to do in the New Year?

• This is my year to…know where my food comes from.
• This is my year to…choose organic.
• This is my year to…share my plate.

Pretty ambitious, eh? Well, with help from our friends at Odwalla and Health Magazine, Whole Foods Market is going to kick start these three goals by supporting three associated organizations with donations of $10,000 to each.

And here’s how you can join in on the fun. We’ve created a Facebook app called This is My Year to… that gathers support for these organizations from you and your friends. We’re not talking money support here (of course you can make personal donations if you wish!) but simply a click to download the app and your vote for your favorite one. The organization that receives the most support from Facebook users will receive an additional $10,000 donation from us!

Learn more about the Non-GMO Project, The Organic Center’s Mission Organic 2010 and Growing Power below. Then go to the Facebook application and cast your vote. You may vote up to once a day through the end of January.

This is my year to…

• Know Where My Food Comes From: The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, processors, distributors, farmers, seed companies and consumers. The organization’s belief is that everyone deserves an informed choice about whether or not to consume genetically modified products, and the mission is to ensure the sustained availability of non-GMO choices.
• Choose Organic: Mission Organic 2010 (The Organic Center) is an ambitious campaign with an exciting goal: to increase the current market for organic food from 3 percent to 10 percent by the end of 2010. When consumers demand more organic foods, farmers and food companies will supply this growing demand. The result is healthier people and a healthier planet.
• Share My Plate: Growing Power is a national nonprofit organization and land trust supporting people from diverse backgrounds, by providing equal access to healthy, safe and affordable food. Growing Power provides hands-on training, outreach and assistance in developing community food systems that help people grow, process, market and distribute food in a sustainable manner.

Thank you for your support and good luck with accomplishing all of your ambitious goals this coming year!

And without further ado, this week’s randomly selected* winner…

Denice H:

If I am in need of a quick meal, I turn to soup. It is healthy, tastful, and easy. However, all the chopping,washing,peeling of the vegetables can be a pain. Instead I just open a jar of good quality mild salsa and add it to chicken stock. It is a great, quick foundation for many soups. It already has the mirepoix plus a nice small amount of heat.

Denice will be receiving a $100 gift card! We hope you enjoyed “value contest month” on our blog during October. For more giveaways, check out our Facebook Fridays and Twitter Thursdays for more weekly contests throughout the holidays.

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* This comment was randomly chosen using random.org.

Congratulations to our randomly selected* winner…

Docletic:

Pasta Pomodoro in San Francisco bay area has a simple butter sauted bay leaf butternut squash ravioli recipe that I have made at home using store bought Japanese noodle/dumpling dough wraps. I’d love a better recipe. Also, the pomogranate martinis at Longhorns steakhouse – to die for. The cactus pears are good to, but nothing like pomogranate.

Docletic will be receiving a $50 gift card and three of our favorite cookbooks! Keep an eye out tomorrow and all this month for more great value giveaways on The Whole Story!

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* This comment was randomly chosen using random.org.

Congratulations to our randomly selected* winner…

CadesMom:

I love your 365 semi-sweet chocolate chips! I make the 30 mile trip to get them whenever it’s time to bake cookies and brownies. I also buy in bulk! They have the richest, chocolaty-est taste. Wonderful!

CadesMom will be receiving a $50 gift card and a Better Bag loaded with some of our 365 Everyday Value favorites (and her favorite 365 semi-sweet chocolate chips!). Keep an eye out tomorrow and all this month for more great value giveaways on The Whole Story!

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* This comment was randomly chosen using random.org.

Liana: I shop sales, buy store brands (Helllllloooo 365 Everyday Value products!), buy in bulk when possible, buy dried instead of canned (ex: dry beans are usually less expensive than canned beans), and in general shop at Whole Foods! Oh, and make a meal plan for the week & stick to it — that really helps, too!

Liana will be receiving a $50 gift card and a Better Bag loaded with some of our pantry favorites.  Keep an eye out tomorrow and all this month for more great value giveaways on The Whole Story!

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* This comment was randomly chosen using random.org.

While I am many years past high school stress and teenage angst, I do fondly remember my adolescent penchant for challenging authority. (Some may argue it never went away!) Around thirteen, the simplicity of childhood started to melt away and suddenly, I was a teenager, looking to discover who I was and how to change the world around me. Now, of course, no teenager wants their parents looking over their shoulder. Yet, in hindsight, I think there are subtle ways that parents can influence the direction of their teens’ world-changing missions. Making sure they are aware of the many issues surrounding our food supply is an excellent place to start – and one where they can take action by voting with their fork three times a day.

Today, we have more media unveiling the truths behind the Standard American Diet, our over-consumptive consumer culture and our modern food system as a whole than ever before. To this end, we would like to offer you some ideas on how to bring home the message without having to personally be the preacher.

Bring books into your home.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser examines the local and global influence of the United States fast food industry.  Also, check out Chew on This – it has very similar content to Fast Food Nation, but is written specifically for teens and kids.

Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan is a 2006 non-fiction book that explores the question “What should we have for dinner?” To answer this question, Pollan follows four meals, each derived through a different food production system, from their origins to the plate.  Also, check out In Defense of Food, Pollan’s follow-up to the Omnivore’s Dilemma.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is part memoir, part journalistic investigation.  This book tells the story of how her family was changed by one year of deliberately eating food produced in the place where they live.

Don’t Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America by Morgan Spurlock is a fact-packed and funny offshoot of his Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me.

Have a family movie night.

SuperSize Me follows filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock who makes himself a test subject in this documentary about the commercial food industry. Rigorously eating a diet of McDonald’s fast food three times a day for a month straight, Spurlock is out to prove the physical and mental effects of consuming fast food.
(You can watch this movie for free on YouTube here.)

Fast Food Nation is dramatic feature based on material from the incendiary book Fast Food Nation, a no-holds-barred exploration of the fast food industry that ultimately revealed the dark side of the “All American Meal.” (Note: This movie is rated R, so use your discretion.)

Food, Inc is an unflattering look inside America’s corporate controlled food industry.

King Corn tells the story of two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.

Send them links to online videos.

Mark Bittman talks what’s wrong with what we eat | TED Talk

Ann Cooper talks school lunches | TED Talk

Michael Pollan gives a plant’s eye view | TED Talk

Dean Ornish on the world’s killer diet | TED Talk

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

Encourage them to take action.

Now that you’ve got them all riled up, give them some suggestions as to where to focus all that revolutionary energy.

Take Part Social Action Network offers resources to take part in over 119 global issues ranging from climate change to organic foods to clean water.

The Ocean Conservancy is hosting their annual International Coastal Cleanup on September 19th at a waterway near you.  Last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers collected more than 6.8 million pounds of trash in 100 countries and 42 US states during the 2008 International Coastal Cleanup — the world’s largest volunteer effort of its kind.

Teens Turning Green is a national movement of youth transforming the world by investigating and eliminating toxic exposures in daily lives, schools and communities, advocating for change in policy and habits to protect our health, and educating peers and the community about greener alternatives.

Got any great resources or ideas to share with other parents for how to positively influence their kids?  Please leave a comment with your thoughts.  Thanks and good luck!

We’ve partnered with Chef Ann Cooper, a.k.a. “The Renegade Lunch Lady,” to help schools make a change. Chef Ann has already transformed the school lunch experience for tens of thousands of children across America by helping their schools switch from processed foods to fresh, natural ingredients and scratch-made meals.

Today – Friday, August 28 at 1 p.m. PST/4 p.m. EST, Ann Cooper will be answering YOUR questions about school lunch reform and what you can do to help make simple, yet revolutionary changes to school lunch programs in your area.

Note: You must have a Facebook or Twitter account in order to submit questions, but anyone can watch the live chat video on Facebook.  Check out the link below for more information on how to participate.

Participate in the live chat on Facebook