2025 - 2026

Community First Grant Team Members

The Community First Grant (CFG) supports nonprofits focused on long-term fresh, healthy food access and nutrition education that are engaged with Team Members. This includes community gardens, mobile markets, healthy cooking classes and more.

Since 2016, we have awarded 477 grants in 161 cities, investing over $3.4M. Nearly 285 Team Members from 153 Whole Foods Market stores and all Store Support offices have participated!  

We’re excited to announce the 2025-2026 Team Members below whose eligible nominations were invited to apply for the Community First Grant.

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CALIFORNIA

Elizabeth Covarrubias

Store Trainer & Culture Champion Ambassador
Upland (UPL) Store | Upland, CA
Geri Feldman

Customer Service & E-Commerce Team Leader
Mill Valley (MLV) Store | Mill Valley, CA
Kristen Coffey

Customer Service Team Trainer
Novato (NOV) Store | Novato, CA
Marie Denny

Store Trainer
Queen (QUE) Store | Honolulu, HI
Ruce Lumpkins

Store Trainer
Burbank (BBK) Store | Burbank, CA
Ryan Johnson

Produce Team Leader
Del Mar (DMR) Store | San Diego, CA

CENTRAL WEST

Amy Todd

Store Scanning Specialist
Katy (KTY) Store | Katy, TX
Barbi Smith

Produce Associate Team Leader
Bellingham Lakeway (BLW) Store | Bellingham, WA
Carli Chulew

Store Trainer
Bridgeport (BRD) Store | Tigard, OR
Elaine Bettzig

Lead Receiver
Laurelhurst (LLH) Store | Portland, OR
Ellen Gorra

Principal Business Development & Investment Analyst
Store Support Office | Austin, TX
Freddie Cavazos

Specialty Team Leader
Cityline (CTL) Store | Richardson, TX
Kelly Cox

Whole Body Associate Team Leader
Pikes Peak (PPK) Store | Colorado Springs, CO
Kristen Williams

Senior Analyst, Accounts Payable
Store Support Office | Austin, TX
Laura Bontempo

Customer Service & E-Commerce Supervisor + Culture Champion Ambassador
Alamo Quarry (QRY) Store | San Antonio, TX
Lee Robinson

VP, Merchandising Enablement
Store Support Office | Austin, TX
Maanasi Balakrishnan

Bakery Associate Team Leader
Chandler (CHR) Store | Chandler, AZ
Patrick Yanez

Cash Office Lead
Post Oak (POA) Store | Houston, TX
Puxin Xuanyuan

Associate Sourcing Leader
Store Support Office | Austin, TX
Souparnika Vivek

Cashier
Tempe (TMP) Store | Tempe, AZ
Virginia Kassfy

Team Trainer & Culture Champion Ambassador
El Paso (ELP) Store | El Paso, TX

MIDWEST

Amy Johnson

Store Trainer
East Lansing (ELN) Store | East Lansing, MI
Ann Coconate

Store Trainer
Park Ridge (PKR) Store | Park Ridge, IL
Aren Castillo

Store Scanning Specialist
One Chicago (GOC) Store | Chicago, IL
Becky Crabtree

Store Trainer
West Lane (EYE) Store | Columbus, OH
Beth Dunraven

Whole Body Team Leader
Rochester Hills (RCH) Store | Rochester Hills, MI
Bethany Brakemeyer

Store Scanning Specialist
Easton (EST) Store | Columbus, OH
Brenden Lake

Customer Service Supervisor
Olathe (OLA) Store | Olathe, KS
Christian Galtieri

Bakery Team Leader
Lexington (LXG) Store | Lexington, KY
Christopher Hyman

Cashier’s Assistant
Kansas City (KCM) Store | Kansas City, MO
Connie Eger

Store Trainer
Louisville (LOU) Store | Louisville, KY
Dori Puzycki

Store Trainer & Certified Culture Ambassador
Pittsburgh (PIT) Store | Pittsburgh, PA
Eve Armstrong

Store Support Associate Team Leader
Lexington (LXG) Store | Lexington, KY
Gennaro Galtieri

Meat Senior Field Associate
Lexington (LXG) Store | Lexington, KY
Heather Poliseno

Store Trainer
Hennepin (MIN) Store | Minneapolis, MN
Naomy Erazo

Whole Body Buyer & Team Trainer
River Forest (RVF) Store | River Forest, IL
Paige Miller

Store Scanning Specialist
Kansas City (KCM) Store | Kansas City, MO
Robert Herbert

Store Trainer
Fayetteville (FAY) Store | Fayetteville, AR
Ron McCann

Associate Store Team Leader
West Lane (EYE) Store | Upper Arlington, OH
Sonja McCarrel

Associate Store Team Leader
Downtown Indianapolis (MKS) Store | Indianapolis, IN
Tahra May

Whole Body Team Member
Bowman (BMN) Store | Little Rock, AR

NORTH ATLANTIC & INTERNATIONAL

Allyssa de Bruijn

Store Trainer
Victoria (VIC) Store | Victoria, BC
Diane Thompson

Store Support Supervisor
South Windsor (SWR) Store | South Windsor, CT
Emma Kirby

Store Trainer
Providence - Waterman Street (PRO) Store | Providence, RI
Glendy Jolon

Bakery Cake Decorator
Jamaica Plain (JMP) Store | Jamaica Plain, MA
James Clancy

Associate Store Team Leader
Hingham (HGM) Store | Hingham, MA
Jenna Cooney

Whole Body Team Leader
Melrose (MLR) Store | Melrose, MA
Joseph Desrosiers

Associate Store Team Leader
Bedford (BDF) Store | Bedford, NH
Kate Blaski

Store Trainer
Newtonville (NTV) Store | Newton, MA
Kathryn Findlen

Store Trainer
Andover (AVR) Store | Andover, MA
Keith Grover

Store Support Supervisor
Portland (PTL) | Portland, ME
Louise Day

Store Scanning Specialist
West Vancouver (PRV) Store | West Vancouver, BC
Matthew McCall

Store Trainer
Bellingham (BLH) Store | Bellingham, MA
Nelson Hernandez

Store Trainer
Jamaica Plain (JMP) Store | Boston, MA
Ramandeep Ramandeep

Store Trainer
Cambie (CMB) Store | Vancouver, BC
Tecumseh Allen

Associate Store Team Leader
Nashua (NNH) Store | Nashua, NH
Teresa Fishlin

Store Trainer
Hingham (HGM) Store | Hingham, MA

NORTHEAST

Ayesha McNeill

Store Trainer
South Street (SOS) Store | Philadelphia, PA
Belkys Lopez

Associate Store Team Leader
Yonkers (YON) Store | New York, NY
Brittany Tyler

Store Trainer
Bryant Park (BPK) Store | New York, NY
Claude Martins

Prepared Foods Team Trainer
Bryant Park (BPK) Store | New York, NY
Denise Kick

Store Trainer
Manhasset (MHS) Store | Manhasset, NY
Edward Pivarsky

Associate Store Team Leader
Massapequa (MQA) Store | Massapequa, NY
Jacob Lux

Whole Body Team Leader
Williamsburg (WBG) Store | Brooklyn, NY
Jayann Alexander

Shift Leader
Bryant Park (BPK) Store | New York, NY
Kyrah Arthur

Customer Service & E-commerce Supervisor
Cherry Hill (CNJ) Store | Cherry Hill, NJ
Margot Sansone

Associate Store Team Leader
Williamsburg (WBG) Store | Brooklyn, NY
Mayming Chan

Prepared Foods Cook
Kentlands (KTL) Store | Gaithersburg, MD
Michael Greene

Store Team Leader
Midtown East (MTE) Store | New York, NY
Passion Brownlee

Store Trainer
Brooklyn (BKN) Store | Brooklyn, NY
Rose Sidibe

Bakery Team Trainer
Bryant Park (BPK) Store | New York, NY
Ruby Schleifer

Prepared Foods Team Leader
Stamford (SFD) Store | Stamford, CT
Sam Baris

Store Team Leader
Williamsburg (WBG) Store | Brooklyn, NY
Saretta Mathias

E-commerce Team Trainer
Brooklyn (BKN) Store | Brooklyn, NY
Steven Samuel

Bakery Team Member
Jersey City (JRY) Bakehouse | Jersey City, NJ
Suet Lay Mijares

Specialty Team Member
Bryant Park (BPK) Store | New York, NY
Venus Perez

Associate Floral Buyer
Northeast Distribution Center (MDW) | Landover, MD

SOUTHEAST

Alexandria Hipple

Whole Body Buyer/Specialist
Winter Park North (WPN) Store | Winter Park, FL
Amanda Black

Produce / Floral Team Member
Gainesville (GVL) Store | Gainesville, FL
Amy Rodgers

Lead Receiver
Germantown (GMT) Store | Germantown, TN
Anthony Gibbs

Meat Team Member
West Paces Ferry (WPF) Store | Atlanta, GA
Antonella D'Aquino

Store Trainer
Coral Gables (CGB) Store | Coral Gables, FL
Carrie McNallie

Store Team Leader
Nashville Downtown (NVL) Store | Nashville, TN
Dan Hancock

Associate Store Team Leader
Asheville (ASH) Store | Asheville, NC
Erin Simpson

Store Trainer
North Raleigh (NRL) Store | Raleigh, NC
Jordan Davidson

E-commerce Shopper
Wilmington (WOL) Store | Wilmington, NC
Kady Pontolilo

Whole Body Team Member
Midtown Tampa (WTP) Store | Tampa, FL
Manar Kattan

Store Trainer
Greensboro (GFR) Store | Greensboro, NC
Meg Gorman

Store Support Team Leader
Chattanooga (CHT) Store | Chattanooga, TN
Nancy Mitchell

Store Trainer
Knoxville (KNX) Store | Knoxville, TN
Natalie West

Store Trainer
Jackson (JKN) Store | Jackson, MS
Nicole Caparas

Customer Service and E-Commerce Supervisor
Jacksonville (JAX) Store | Jacksonville, FL
Nkenge Graham

Store Trainer
Veterans (VET) Store | Metairie, LA
Ricky Rodriguez

Store Trainer
Winston-Salem (WIN) Store | Winston Salem, NC