2024–2025: Community First Grant
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.
Meet the 2024-2025 Community Partners and Team Members below.
Team Member | Role | Store | Location | Community Partner
Jump to an Operational Area // California // Central West // Midwest // North Atlantic & International // Northeast // Southeast
California
Marie Denny | Store Trainer | Queen Store | Honolulu, HI | Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi
Ryan Johnson | Produce/Floral Team Leader | Del Mar Store | San Diego, CA | The Berry Good Food Foundation, Inc.
Justin Williamson | Store Trainer | Del Mar Store | San Diego, CA | Chef Angels
Central West
Maanasi Balakrishnan | Store Trainer | Paradise Valley Store | Phoenix, AZ | Arizona Urban Agriculture Foundation: Agritopia Farm | Local First Arizona Foundation (Heart and Soil People’s Garden)
Haley Benes | Store Trainer | Laurelhurst Store | Portland, OR | Zenger Farm
Freddie Cavazos | Specialty Team Leader | Cityline Store | Richardson, TX | Restorative Farms
Caroline Freedman | Principal Program Manager of LPLP | Store Support Office | Austin, TX | Mobile Loaves & Fishes: Community First! Village Genesis Gardens
Ellen Gorra | Business Development | Store Support Office | Austin, TX | The Refugee Collective
Katie Korneta | Cake Decorator | Chandler Store | Chandler, AZ | Horizon Health and Wellness Inc. (Earth Heart Park & Community Garden)
Mikey Muniz | Store Support Team Member | Fremont Store | Portland, OR | Portland Fruit Tree Project
Lee Robinson | VP, Assortment, Space, and Forecasting | Store Support Office | Austin, TX | Sustainable Food Center
Barbi Smith | Associate Store Team Leader | Bellingham Lakeway Store | Bellingham, WA | Twin Sisters Market
Midwest
Eve Armstrong | Customer Service and E-Commerce Supervisor | Lexington Store | Lexington, KY | Seedleaf
Bethany Brakemeyer | Customer Service and E-Commerce Supervisor | West Lane Store | Upper Arlington, OH | Kitchen of Life
Ann Coconate | Store Trainer/Culture Champion Ambassador | Park Ridge Store | Park Ridge, IL | Just Roots Chicago
Connie Eger | Store Trainer | Louisville Store | Louisville, KY | Parks Alliance of Louisville
Christian Galtieri | E-commerce Team Leader | Lexington Store | Lexington, KY | FoodChain
Gennaro Galtieri | Senior Field Associate | Store Support Office | Cincinnati, OH | Northside Common Market
Robert Herbert | Store Trainer | Fayetteville Store | Fayetteville, AR | Spring Creek Food Hub
Amy Kroner | Store Trainer/Culture Champion Ambassador | Wexford Store | Wexford, PA | Food Assistance Match
Brenden Lake | Store Support Supervisor | Olathe Store | Olathe, KS | Cultivate Kansas City
Ryan Masters | Store Team Leader | Akron Store | Akron, OH | Akron Urban Agriculture
Ron McCann | Associate Store Team Leader | Dublin Store | Columbus, OH | Franklinton Farms
Ben Demey | Lead Receiver | Uptown Minneapolis Store | Minneapolis, MN | Gethsemane Community Garden
John Mick | Store Team Leader | Evanston Store | Evanston, IL | Evanston Grows
Paige Miller | Store Scanning Specialist | Kansas City Store | Kansas City, MO | George Washington Carver Farm
Dave Niemiec | Produce/Floral Team Member | Madison Store | Madison, WI | Neighborhood House Community Center
Steve Patterson | Associate Store Team Leader | South Bend Store | Mishawaka, IN | Unity Gardens
Ge Song | Legal Team Regulatory Counsel | Store Support Office | St. Louis, MO | Operation Food Search | Ujima
Kadie Staine | Store Team Leader | Wheaton Store | Wheaton, IL | The GardenWorks Project
North Atlantic & International
James Clancy | Associate Store Team Leader | Hingham Store | Hingham, MA | Weymouth Food Pantry
Teresa Fishlin | Store Trainer and Culture Champion Ambassador | Hingham Store | Hingham, MA | Friends of Holly Hill Farm
Julie Lustig | Store Team Leader | West Vancouver Store | Vancouver, BC | Cedar Cottage Food Network
Matthew McCall | Store Trainer | Bellingham Store | Bellingham, MA | The Food Project
Erika Pollock | Store Trainer | South Windsor | South Windsor, CT | Forge City Works (The Grocery on Broad)
Mike Risitano | Associate Store Team Leader | Bedford Store | Bedford, NH | Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success
Northeast
Jayann Alexander | Shift Leader | Bryant Park Store | New York City, NY | WE STAY/Nos Quedamos
Ousmane Balde | Produce/ Floral Associate | Store Team Leader | Bryant Park Store | New York City, NY | Ellie Fund
Michael Greene | Associate Store Team Leader | Midtown East Store | New York, NY | FamilyCook Productions
Denise Kick | Store Trainer | Manhasset Store | Manhasset, NY | Queens County Farm Museum
Endy Massillon | Store Team Leader | Upper East Side | New York, NY | BronxWorks
Ayesha McNeill | Store Trainer | Williamsburg Store | Brooklyn, NY | Project EATS | The Connected Chef | Oko Farms
Melisa Niane | Store Team Leader | Kentlands Store | Gaithersburg, MD | Community FarmShare
Tamara Noel-George | Specialty Order Writer | Williamsburg Store | Brooklyn, NY | Hattie Carthan Community Foodways
Christopher Plaza | Store Team Leader | Yonkers Store | Yonkers, NY | Bronx Community Farm Hubs
Emmanuel Romero | Store Team Leader | Massapequa Store | Massapequa Park, NY | Harmony Cafe
Margot Sansone | Associate Store Team Leader | Williamsburg Store | Brooklyn, NY | Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
Ruby Schleifer | Prepared Foods Team Leader | Brooklyn Store | Brooklyn, NY | Isabahlia Ladies of Elegance Foundation | Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation | Rethink Food
Vincent Sciolla | Associate Store Team Leader | Bowery Store | New York, NY | Seeds in the Middle
Brittany Tyler | Store Trainer | Bryant Park Store | Brooklyn, NY | Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice
Southeast
Adrian Brendle | Store Trainer | Winston-Salem Store | Winston-Salem, NC | S.G. Atkins Community Development Corporation
Julie Browne | Team Member Services Business Partner | Store Support Office | Asheville, NC | Bountiful Cities
Samantha Chavez | Associate Team Leader | Winter Park North Store | Winter Park, FL | 4Roots Farm
Robert Collins | Grocery Team Member | Wilmington Store | Wilmington, NC | Northside Food Cooperative
Kimberly Dawson | E-commerce Team Member | North Raleigh Store | Raleigh, NC | Turning Point Community Development Corporation
Dolly Fields | Store Team Leader | Tallahassee Store | Tallahassee, FL | Red Hills Small Farm Alliance
Nkenge Graham | Store Trainer | Veterans Store | Metairie, LA | Sankofa Community Development Corporation
Dan Hancock | Associate Store Team Leader | Asheville Store | Asheville, NC | Southside Community Farm
Michelle Mac Arthur | Store Trainer | Lake Norman Store | Hunterville, NC | Plum Gardens
Nancy Mitchell | Store Trainer | Knoxville Store | Knoxville, TN | Nourish Knoxville
Rhonda Mitchell | Store Trainer | Midtown Tampa | Tampa, FL | Sweetwater Organic Farm
Damiya Peebles | Whole Body Team Trainer | Raleigh Store | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh City Farm
Amy Rodgers | Lead Receiver | Germantown Store | Germantown, TN | Impact Northaven Community Garden
Cindy Thomas | Customer Service and E-comm Team Leader | McEwen Store | Franklin, TN | The Nashville Food Project
Tracy Zambito | Customer Service and E-Commerce Team Leader | Palm Beach Gardens Store | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation