Celebrating 20 Years of Impact
What a journey it's been! As Whole Foods Market Foundation celebrates our 20th anniversary, we're bursting with gratitude for two decades of transformative impact, all made possible by our incredible network of supporters.
Twenty years ago, we set out with a bold vision: to alleviate global poverty through microfinance. Today, we're thrilled to celebrate how far we've come together and our incredible community that has helped execute and evolve the original vision.
A Week of Celebration
Throughout this milestone, we've brought our community together in meaningful ways to honor 20 years of impact. The celebrations were as diverse and vibrant as the communities we serve!
In Austin, Texas, we kicked off the festivities with an unforgettable party at Whole Foods Market Headquarters, bringing together over 500 Whole Foods Market Team Members to celebrate our shared commitment to nourishing people and the planet. Our celebration also featured 11 generous supplier donors and 8 programmatic partners to share their mission-aligned work.
We also rolled up our sleeves for a hands-on volunteer event that embodied the spirit of our mission. More than 70 volunteers gathered to support event preparations and pack Community First Grant Kits, a care package for Team Members to encourage volunteerism and appreciate those that are committed to supporting local nonprofits. It was a beautiful reminder that our work is always better when we do it together!
A Discussion with Distinguished Experts
Our celebration continued with a luncheon that brought together key stakeholders who have been instrumental in our journey, including a dynamic panel featuring program experts from across all three of our areas of work: improving children’s nutrition, expanding healthy food access, and alleviating global poverty. Hearing their insights and experiences reminded us of the depth and breadth of impact we've achieved together. Watch their discussion below.
Our Panelists: Dr. Martin Burt, Founder of Fundación Paraguaya; Andrea Abel, Executive Director of Farmshare Austin; Vanessa Cruz, Program Manager at Wellness in the Schools.
2025 Whole Foods Market Foundation Honorees
A special highlight was honoring five exceptional individuals with 2025 awards, recognizing their outstanding contributions to our mission over the years. Whether blazing the trail towards new and innovative ways to support our work, showing unwavering commitment and always answering the call to service, or lighting the way forward to achieve long-term impact, these changemakers have gone above and beyond to create positive change in our communities.
“Whole Foods Market is a force for good and our Foundation is a tangible example of that.”
Thank You to Our Community
None of this would be possible without you. Our programmatic partners do the vital work on the ground every day, our donors fuel our mission with their generosity, and volunteers bring passion and purpose to everything they do to support our cause.
To the organizations we have the privilege of supporting: You are the heart of this work. Your dedication to our communities, your innovative approaches to complex challenges, and your unwavering commitment to creating positive change furthers our mission and inspires us every day.
To our donors and supporters: Your belief in our mission has enabled us to reach further and dig deeper. Whether through financial contributions to fund our programmatic work, volunteer hours, or spreading the word about the mission, you've helped us create ripples of change that are impactful and far reaching.
To Whole Foods Market Team Members: Your support has been foundational to our success. Your hard work makes it possible for Whole Foods Market to cover 100% of our operating expenses, allowing more funds to reach those that need them most.
Sneak Peek of our Champions of Change
Search #WFMF on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to see our Champions of Change social media campaign featuring so many incredible partners who have been instrumental in our work throughout the last 20 years!
Looking Forward
As we celebrate this milestone, we're looking ahead with renewed energy and commitment. The challenges facing our communities are significant, but so is our collective power to address them. Together, we know that when we invest in people and communities, when we provide access to nutritious food and economic opportunities and when we work collaboratively toward shared goals, real and lasting change is possible.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Cheers to 20 years of impact, and to many more years of nourishing people and the planet together!