Since 2005, Whole Foods Market Foundation has been at the forefront of creating lasting change to help transform communities by increasing access to healthy food, educating kids about nutrition, and building pathways to financial stability in 81 countries.

Our journey has impacted millions of lives, from smallholder farmers in Tanzania to urban farmers in Kentucky, proving that when we nourish our communities, we cultivate prosperity for generations to come.

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20 Years of Impact

  • Drawing of two hands exchanging a green dollar bill with a dollar sign, with text underneath that reads "$206M Funded."
  • Illustration of two hands high-fiving with lines above indicating impact, and text below stating support for 17,713 organizations.
  • Illustration of a globe on a stand with green and black landmasses, and text below stating "81 Countries".

Our History Highlights

  • Group of people digging in a sandy area, some holding tools and others raising their hands or bowls, under clear blue sky with sparse trees in the background.

    2005

    Whole Planet Foundation launched with a nationwide 5% day in all Whole Foods Market stores, raising $525,000 in initial seed funds to fund microcredit for entrepreneurs in global communities where Whole Foods Market sourced products.

  • Group of smiling children and a teacher posing behind a table with various herbs and plants in containers, in a classroom setting.

    2011

    Starting as a grassroots fundraising movement, Whole Kids Foundation was created after funding $700,000 for the LunchBox.org and $1M to support the Let’s Move Salad Bars initiative.

  • A wooden sign hanging indoors that reads "Whole Cities Foundation" with a logo featuring a city skyline and a sprouting plant. Below, it states "Bringing fresh, nutritious food to underserved communities." The background shows large windows with a view of palm trees, ceiling lights, and part of the interior space.

    2014

    Whole Cities Foundation was created as a way to expand healthy food access beyond Whole Foods Market stores emphasizing grassroots partnerships and community-led initiatives to build thriving local food systems.

  • A farm field with green lush plants and a large logo in the foreground with the text 'Whole Foods Market Foundation' and a stylized leaf design.

    2024

    At the beginning of 2024, Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet united to form Whole Foods Market Foundation. The strategic integration of these three nonprofits creates a powerful Foundation that expands access to resources across multiple contexts and generations, leveraging shared knowledge and networks to build long-term solutions. 

  • Group of women standing in a green field with raised hands, wearing colorful traditional clothing and headscarves, under a blue sky.

    2025

    Whole Foods Market Foundation celebrates 20 years of supporting healthy food access and economic opportunities in local and global communities!

Recipient Success Stories

Students planting seedlings in small pots at a hydroponic or indoor farming setup in a classroom or lab.

Bogota High School | Bogota, NJ

At Bogota Junior and Senior High School, students and staff have used their Garden Grant to create a hydroponic system that produces a whopping 50 pounds of leafy greens a month. Through their partnership with the school’s cafeteria, they have established food storage systems and supply salad greens for food service. The collaboration between kitchen staff, teachers, and students has resulted in a coordinated schedule for seeding, transplanting, maintenance, harvesting, and storage. During the growing cycle, students have learned the fundamentals of hydroponic growing and developed skills in measuring and adjusting conditions to create optimal growing environments.

A woman wearing glasses and a green t-shirt smiling while holding a green bell pepper. Behind her, there is a blue truck with colorful produce images and text promoting a farmers market and a program for buying produce.

Regional Environmental Council | Worcester, MA

Regional Environmental Council (REC) is a grassroots food justice organization that was founded in 1971 and has been dedicated to building healthy, sustainable and just communities in Worcester, MA for more than 50 years. This year they received Choice 4 Change funds to support continued operations and expand efforts to increase food access through their Mobile Farmers Markets. Funding will also support increased outreach and access points for community members to use the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) leading to an increase in overall community food security.

A woman planting a small tree in a lush green landscape with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

Environomica | Colombia

Environomica is a nonprofit that provides agroforestry kits (which include farming tools, seedlings, and irrigation systems), technical assistance, result-based payments, and market access to indigenous communities living in the forests of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada mountains. With their funding from the Foundation, Environomica will expand its core agroforestry program by engaging more families to plant 15,000 native fruit and timber trees, with the aim of enhancing their food security.

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