Empowering Individuals in the Global Community Through Entrepreneurship
View Recent Team Member Spotlights
Nick is a produce team leader from Harry's Farmers Market, Whole Foods Market's Cobb location. He participates in team member giving to fund microlending programs through Whole Planet Foundation because "With Whole Planet Foundation we fight poverty around the world, and encourage our team members to be considerate of people less fortunate than ourselves."
“I was inspired 4 years ago at the Vision Day in Seattle. Such small donations can make a difference in their lives and the stories of how creative people were with the loans was fantastic! I am glad that my donation goes to help people.”
“It’s great to know that by donating only a small sum on a regular basis, we can help people help themselves.”
“For the write-off on my state [tax] return.” Haha. Really though, the "I bought a goat sticker [campaign]" was an excellent way to introduce charitable giving to our little one. Additionally, it led to a great series of discussions about income disparity, imports/exports, lending and microcredit..."
Florida Regional Office
“As soon as I found out I was able to deduct a measly $10 a paycheck to WPF I did. Why? Well I read the information and realized that 3 lattes a pay period would provide a person with the ability to make it on their own. Start their own business, put food on their table for their family and community. It makes me feel good that my small donation of $10 a pay period brings security, independence, and wealth to people who would not have that option before. I donate because I can. “
Jennifer Jones is a Regional Accountant for the Florida Region
“I come from a poor family in rural Africa (Ethiopia) and I know very well what poverty is. So, I am donating the little amount of money I have to Whole Planet Foundation so I can give back and help fight poverty."
This year, along with many other Team Members, Amber has provided significant support for the Whole Planet Foundation, particularly during our Annual Prosperity Campaign. She has done an excellent job in educating and encouraging Team Members to support the Foundation. One event in particular, a Multicultural Potluck where Team Members were encouraged to bring and enjoy dishes that represented their cultural background, raised $200 for WPF .
Amber says, "I just feel lucky to be a part of Whole Planet Foundation by promoting it to my team members and within the store. It is such a unique opportunity to be able to empower other women and this foundation is truly special and powerful in doing so."
Thank you Amber!
"I donate to Whole Planet Foundation because I believe that the end of poverty lies in the hands of those who are at the heart of developing our world’s poorest communities. As wealthy Americans it’s our role to empower these individuals who will make poverty history."
Grateful that Whole Planet Foundation is funding microcredit in Haiti through our partner Fonkoze and inspired by tasty dried mangos, Carrie Kotwas of the Rocky Mountain Bakehouse created this original recipe for mango tea bread. Carrie said "Our team tasted some amazing dried mangoes that were grown in Haiti and were inspired by the bold, bright flavor. For many of our team members, mangoes, pineapple and coconut bring back a taste of their childhood. There is definitely growing excitement about microcredit and baking this moist, sunny tea bread was a fun way for us to show big love for the Whole Planet Foundation."
Thank you Carrie and crew!
Whole Foods Market Tampacashier Michael Zabrek was the #1 cashier in funds raised as a % of store sales through shopper donations at the registers during the 2009 Prosperity Campaign. Now he is #1 again in the 2010 WPF Annual Prosperity Campaign and he was not even a cashier! He was inspired by the generosity of Whole Foods Market in covering the operating costs of the foundation, allowing the entire contribution from shoppers to fund microlending programs. Last year, sharing what he learned with Tampa shoppers, he asked if they wanted to join us in empowering poor women with microcredit. When shoppers gave a generous donation he would cheer and get the whole store excited. This year he is a specialty team member who helped to raise awareness with cashiers in other stores so that they could speak more easily about Whole Plant Foundation and the transformative power of microcredit.
Michael's great success at raising awareness and funds won him a trip to Guatemala to experience the trans-formative power of microcredit firsthand in 2009 and this year he will be going to Peru!
Thank you Michael!
Old Town cashier Mike Beard raised the most funds in both the 2008 and the 2009 Prosperity Campaigns. Phenomenal! He won a trip to Guatemala to meet microcredit clients, see where Whole Foods Market sources coffee and do community service work in Pena Blanca where Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteers have been teaching indigenous children basic literacy skills and building stoves. Thank you Mike, for all that you are doing to empower women to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty.
Hmmmm......which cashier will raise the most funds in 2010?
"Sometimes, we forget that there are those less fortunate who are struggling day to day for food, water, and shelter. Whole Foods is doing a wonderful service by involving their Team Members in this program and by raising awareness in our communities. It is a great feeling to know that I work for a company that values the importance of helping others.”
Crystal is a Customer Service Supervisor at Oracle and she will be heading to Guatemala this summer as a Team Member volunteer.
Rocky Mountain Bakehouse
Edgar Flores Irigoyen is Rocky Mountain Bakehouse's Whole Planet Foundation facility rep and has been a bread baker for over 4 years. He studied child development during his college years in California and is lovingly called the 'Mayor of the Bakehouse'.
When asked about the Whole Planet Foundation, Edgar says, "I am inspired by how the foundation provides everyone across the world the same opportunity and helps people create better lives for themselves and their families".
Carrie Kotwas says "Edgar is a compassionate Whole Foods Market Team Member who shares Whole Planet Foundation's goals and mission with other Bakehouse Team Members on a personal level. Our Team Members greatly appreciate the fact that most of WPF funded clients are women and working moms."
Lamar
Store Team Member Awareness Group Leader Falesha Thrash got the idea from Tim Embody of Williamson in the South region to let "Pies Fly for the Planet". Lamar team members voted with their dollars (and coins) to land their Store Team Leader Steph Steele and Prep Foods Team Leader Shawn Slaven in the middle of a massive pie barrage. Here’s what Store Promotions Specialist Rebecca Scofield had to say about the "Pie in the Face" Event: "All of our Store Leaders and department Team Leaders submitted a picture of themselves that was glued to an empty coffee can. TM’s were encouraged to put money in the can of the person they would most like to see get a pie-in-the-face. The two with the most money (one from store leadership and one from department leadership) were then declared the ‘winners’ and received 1 pie-in-the-face from every single department. At Lamar that is 14 pies each! Needless to say Steph Steele (our Store Team Leader) and Shawn Slaven were incredible sports for taking the onslaught of pies that were hurled at them over and over again.” The pies were hurled at them by happy team members all in the name of empowering the poor while bemused shoppers looked on. The $514 raised by the “pie in the face” event will be used to fund microfinance in countries where Whole Foods Market sources product.
Whole Foods Market Williamson team members in the South Region raised awareness and $200 in their "Pie-in-the-Face" event and got to pie Regional Vice President Omar Gaye with at least nine pies. Way to step up to the plate Omar!
Feri has given a generous donation to Whole Planet Foundation in her mother's name a year after her mother passed away. She turned a sad day for her into an opportunity for change for a family living in poverty. Thank you Feri.
Feri is a Bakery team member in the West Vancouver store.
"I feel really happy raising money for Whole Planet Foundation because I have physically seen the products that the money I help raise enables the women to produce. That means that the women really are recieving the loans and pulling themselves out of poverty through access to microcredit."
"I donate to Whole Planet Foundation because I know firsthand the impact of a dollar has in poorer developing countries."
When Helena recieved her gainsharing check, a bonus that reflects Whole Foods Market's vision of "shared fate", she donated it to Whole Planet Foundation to fund a microloan. She says “When I think of what $200.00 can do for someone… achieve financial independence, become an entrepreneur, feed their family, enhanced quality of life, personal empowerment, rise out of poverty, develop and inspire others…that’s what it’s all about. If I can do that with $200.00…why not? The best part is they pay it back and the cycle begins anew.
I’m very proud to be a part of WFM.”
We are proud to be a part of Whole Foods Market too, especially with wonderful team members like you Helena. Thank you for your generosity.
“It’s never been so easy to help someone out. Every time I hear of a borrower’s success story, I get the chills knowing that I was a part of that even though I’m thousands of miles away. Whole Planet Foundation keeps me updated on borrower’s stories, statistics, and their work in developing-world communities. I trust that my dollars are going to those in need. It’s also great to know that my donation stays in that community and gets “recycled” to another borrower making it a gift that keeps on giving!”
Janna Fakier is the Training and Educational Specialist for the Northern California region.
Jill Ward presented a check from her store, the Whole Foods Market in Bethesda Maryland, to Fonkoze, Whole Planet Foundation's trusted implementing partner in Haiti, to empower impoverished Haitians to change their own lives with access to microcredit. Jill says:
"Whole Planet Foundation allows us to connect to and empower people in communities where the food that we eat is produced.
Our customers and team members connect to the stories that come from the recipients of microcredit, and the idea that they can help change the world in some small way is meaningful and unique to our grocery shopping experience.
We revolve our celebration of Whole Planet Foundation around food! Our team members seek out recipes inspired by microcredit clients from all over the globe. We then share not only their stories, but the types of food that is traditional in their countries with our customers!
It’s difficult for some to understand how just a $185 microloan can change someone’s life. But, our customers and team members are so generous. Every day, they make the work of Whole Planet Foundation possible. This year, the Bethesda store raised over $17,000. The ripple effect of that is overwhelming!"
Thank you so much Jill for your compassion and hard work which enables Whole Planet Foundation to empower poor women around the world through access to microcredit.
Jose Ventura is a Team Member in the North Atlantic Kitchen who believes in helping people to help themselves. He has been writing personal checks to Whole Planet Foundation for some time now and says "Yo creo que el proyecto de Whole Planet Foundation es my positive y de gran ayuda para muchas personas con dificultades económica. Y a través de este programa se están abriendo pasos. Yo de mi parte me siento satisfecho de poder aportar mi granito de arena por esta gran causa."
In English: "I believe that the Whole Planet Foundation project is very positive and of great aid for many people with economic difficulties. And through this program opportunities are being offered. As for me I feel satisfied to be able to contribute my small seed to such a great cause."
Thank you Jose!
"I think that this is another way to help others and I am proud to be a part of a company that allows us the opportunity to invest in those communities and it’s people."
Katherine gives over $185 a year to fund microlending programs through her paycheck. “ I give a full micro loan per year because I have seen poverty all over the world first hand and this sort of support allows individuals to create a way to get out of the cycle of poverty in practical, functional ways with dignity. It’s not a hand out and creates a circular system that works for the whole community, not just one person. The money I give will not only help one person but will help many because when they pay the loan back it gets used again and again and again. It’s a way of giving that keeps giving. ”
"Giving is just like a circle. It starts at a point and ends where it began."
P Street, Washington, D.C., Mid-Atlantic Region
Kevin is one of three Whole Planet Foundation stewards at the P Street Whole Foods Market. When Regional VP Jane Mueller donated her All*Star jacket to the P Street auction to empower the poor through microcredit, Kevin gave $200 for it. He says “I bought it because it was for a good cause, and I gave it back so that we can raise more money. I challenge anyone in the company to match what I did.” At Whole Foods Market, All*Star team members are the best of the best, so Jane and Kevin’s generosity is right in line with the program which rewards excellence. Store Team Leader Jean-Michel Bartolo says “Kevin is a terrific team member and one of the reasons why P Street’s shoppers and team members have raised the most donations in the company!” Kevin is grilling hot dogs for microcredit and has helped raise $2,530 since the campaign started. He is a Customer Service team member and serves as the store’s parking coordinator. Jean-Michel says the P Street store has a lot of potential and wants to make a difference in the world. Thanks Kevin, Jane, Jean-Michel and all of P Street for the example you set and for making a difference!
"I think it is an incredible program where we can lend money to women to empower them to sustain their family by learning a trade and then being able to support their families, grow their business, and give back to their communities."
Laine and Joanna are Whole Body team members in the Yorkville Whole Foods Market store in Canada who support poverty alleviation worldwide through payroll deduction. Laine supports Whole Planet Foundation because "I feel good that the money I give to Whole Planet Foundation goes to help women run successful businesses who might not otherwise have the opportunity to do so." Joanna said "I support Whole Planet Foundation because 100% of my payroll donation goes to helping someone in need. Living in North America, puts me in a position of responsibility to help others. Giving to Whole Planet Foundation is so simple and has such a profound impact."
Laura, Store Team Leader of the Stoke Newington Whole Foods Market store, gives to Whole Planet Foundation through payroll donation because “Well, I signed up a long time ago when the program started in the US because it is part of who we are as a company (shared fate), and as a person, although I don’t contribute a lot, I try to give in as many ways as possible (spread the wealth).”
It’s wonderful to work for such a socially responsible company and Whole Planet Foundation is a perfect example of how we’re giving back at Whole Foods Market. As the In Store Educator at Yorkville, I’ve always had great pride in sharing Whole Planet Foundation with newly hired team members during New Member Orientation.
"Whole Planet Foundation means that we can all make a difference by providing funds for this
program. I am looking forward to participating in the Team Member volunteer program next year."
Milton is one of the top 3 fundraisers at Jamboree for the 2010 WPF Prosperity Campaign.
"At the end of the day, I feel good knowing that I have helped somebody."
Nikki is one of the top 3 fundraisers at Jamboree for the 2010 WPF Prosperity Campaign.
“I’m from Nepal and I am very happy that Whole Planet Foundation is providing microloans in my country. Women have a difficult time in Nepal because it is a very male dominated society and there are not opportunities for them to run businesses or get loans. We have many very poor women in Nepal and all over the world who have to provide for their families- Whole Planet Foundation is giving them the opportunity to take care of their children and create a better life for their families.”
Nilu is a Customer Service team member in Cary N.C.
Guest Service Team Leader Nina Enamorado and her team are finding all sorts of ways to spread awareness and excitement during the Annual in Store Campaign including cashier “shout outs”, lunches for donations, pies contests and….. Wilcrest is a small store with a mighty voice. Hooray for Nina and her team for empowering each other to empower the poor through microcredit."QUOTE"
Carrie Lechevallier and Annette White of the Raleigh store in North Carolina are partners in their passion about Whole Planet Foundation. Together they have done a variety of projects and events to raise awareness and funds. Here is what Annette has to say about their activities: “We have both been passionate about Whole Planet Foundation since its creation. In the Raleigh store, Carrie is the Marketing Team Leader and I am the Demo Specialist. The role of women and families in different societies is a topic that is close to both of our hearts and the locations where Whole Planet Foundation is working include places that are sacred to both of us. Rarely does a store meeting go by when we do not give an update on what we are doing (in the store and local community) to help eliminate poverty through empowerment. We keep the Foundation in mind when planning events and activities year round. One such project is that we have sold greeting cards made with photos from each of our trips to Guatemala, with all the proceeds going to Whole Planet Foundation. This year during March, we put together several events that told the story of Whole Planet and its global impact including a movie screening for "Milagros: Made in Mexico." This amazing film was created by four local film makers and tells the story of the impact of micro-credit in small villages in Mexico. Partnering with a local Mexican restaurant and art school, we presented the film to an auditorium of people who saw powerful images and heard stories and posed questions to the film makers and us.” I was fortunate to be the first person from the South Region to be able to go on the Team Member Volunteer Trip during its pilot round in Costa Rica in 2007 and got to meet women whose lives have been personally impacted by microloans made possible through Whole Planet Foundation. It had a powerful impact on me and I have brought it back to the region with unstoppable passion to share the story with every Team Member so that they know what an amazing difference we are making in the world.” From Carrie: “I wanted to update you on Annette’s efforts. On October 11th she took part in a panel discussion at the Cameron Village Library. The discussion was on Micro-lending and Fair Trade. The other panelists were Elizabeth from 10,000 Villages and Larry from Larry’s Beans (we sell his local coffee). Annette did a great job (as usual) representing The Whole Planet Foundation!” Carrie and Annette are truly ambassadors for Whole Planet Foundation. Please join them in their quest to help Professor Muhammad Yunus “put poverty in a museum”.
Guest Service Team Leader Tara Hughes had an unusual birthday request this year. She asked her friends and fellow team members to bring in their old clothes, household goods, books and vacuum cleaners to be sold in a rummage sale to empower the poor to lift themselves out of poverty. She spent all day encouraging people to come shop the resulting rummage sale to recycle all the great things that their co-workers brought in. Together with her husband Jonathan who came from Woodway to help, her master merchandiser Tod and the lovely team of Gloria and Kaylan, she raised over $800 to empower the poor while recycling slightly used clothing and goods.We are ever grateful for your wonderful attitude and open heart Tara. Happy Birthday!
"Whole Planet Foundation gives women in poverty stricken areas a chance to make a living, and Whole Foods Market gives our Team Members the opportunity to support Whole Planet Foundation."
Tiffany is one of the top 3 fundraisers at Jamboree for the 2010 WPF Prosperity Campaign.
Asked why she supports Whole Planet Foundation, Whole Foods Market Park Royal Village team member Victoria said “It is my responsibility and honor to support this wonderful foundation which has opened doors, making a positive contribution to the lives and communities of many talented brothers and sisters around the world . Thank you Whole Planet Foundation.”
William Parent is a Whole Foods Market team member in the South Region who went on the Team Member Volunteer Program to Guatemala and gave a month of his time to support people in one of the communities where Whole Foods Market sources coffee and Whole Planet Foundation funds microlending programs. He says “Having the chance to meet the women who have received micro loans was a once in a life time experience. It was overwhelming to see how the loans have changed their lives and their community, and it was an honor to get to know them and their families. I’ll never forget the time I spent in Guatemala with the Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteer Program and it will be something I will carry with me for the rest of my life."
Thank you William for investing your time and money into helping impoverished individuals to help lift themselves out of poverty. We appreciate you!
"The reason I like helping out with Whole Planet Foundation is to see people smile. I love to see the beaming smiles of the loan recipients, and I love seeing our customer's smiles when I ask them if they "would like to donate one million dollars to Whole Planet Foundation?"
Amber Alkofer of the Guest Services team at Palo Alto has such a happy and mission driven attitude that I asked her to share her ideas on the foundation with you. “WPF is just one more Global opportunity to crawl outside my comfortable world and give a little bit ($5 a paycheck that I do not miss...what is that… a latte?) to create an abundance for some one who has to walk 5 miles to get water from a well. I am from North Dakota and I know what it is like to haul water from a well, but not from a far distance and only when I visited some cousins a few times a year on the farm. I can help!! That’s how I feel. I can help in a way that is sustaining and bettering lives of woman and children, making communities stronger, healthier, and more educated. I believe in Grameen Trust and the few individuals who made an idea into a practice. The idea is the practice of giving a little, to help a lot which goes for the benefit of society, not to reap a personal material reward. I feel honored that I can help and I am amazed and awed at the great empathy and energy that my team in Palo Alto showed me with their enthusiasm for Whole Planet Foundation. We helped to raise more money than any other store in the Northern California region. We just realized how we could make a difference.”
"It was amazing to me to learn that the amount I spend on groceries each week could help someone start a business and change the lives of their family forever. If all the team members in a location donated just $1 per paycheck, we could generate one loan per paycheck as a group or be a part of lifting 26 families out of poverty in just one year. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?"
Annie has always been very supportive of Whole Planet Foundation and now she has outdone herself. Annie's name changed recently from Annie Corrigan to Annie Corrigan Bath because she got married to Jamey Bath! And what did they dream up as a way to raise awareness and funding for microlending programs? She and Jamey gave gifts in each of their guests' names to Whole Planet Foundation and the table placecards described the gift and the work that the foundation does to support poverty alleviation in countries where Whole Foods Market sources products. Congratulations and hooray for you Annie and Jamey!
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." – Winston Churchill "I feel blessed to have the opportunity to give back in this way – We are global and we touch many more lives than just our local customers. Just to know that I am able to provide someone with a microloan that helps them to grow their business and feed their children is enough for me! I am making a difference and that makes me happy!"
"Why I give to the Whole Planet Foundation in particular is because I feel my dollars will go further to help somebody out of poverty in a country in the developing world."
Elizabeth Carrion-Smuck is in Cash Up and is athe Backup Graphic Artist at the Quarry store in San Antonio Texas.
Enrique Rovero of the Arroyo store in Pasadena California is proud of Whole Planet Foundation and says: I am very passionate about this program because I know it really works and is helping people that just need the opportunity so they can help themselves. During New Hire Paperwork with every new hire, I go into detail about how this program works. I show a lot of passion and give examples about people that have been helped. The way I explain it leads 95% of New Hires to enroll. Out of all the 220 Team Members that were hired at the job fair, about 210 people signed up for it. Supporting Whole Planet Foundation is “helping people help themselves.” Whole Foods Market Team members are wonderful and are huge supporters of the foundation and for this we thank you all.
“I used to be a Payroll Benefits Specialist Back-up/In Store Educator and I have a lot of background information on the foundation. When Alomgir Hossain, the country director for Grameen Guatemala, came to the Regional Office in the Southern Pacific Region, I got a chance to meet him.
“Whole Planet Foundation gives us a venue to responsibly and proactively help people get out of poverty, instead of just giving them a handout. It’s a proven and effective program that we can participate in and our Team Members have a great track-record of supporting this worthy cause.”
"I’ve been blessed with so much that I feel a responsibility to share what I have with others. Giving to the Whole Planet Foundation is a way for me to do that. Even a small amount of money can make a big difference in someone’s life. I also provide a bi-weekly report detailing the number of TMs contributing to the program and I get so excited to see the numbers growing from week to week. It’s amazing to me to think we have over twelve thousand TMs giving to help others!"
Kim Head is Senior Financial Analyst on the Team Member Services Financial Analysis & Reporting Team at our Global offices in Austin Texas.
"I am absolutely inspired by Whole Planet Foundation. It’s incredibly wonderful that our company gives team members the opportunity to be directly involved in a program the reveals the heart of Whole Foods Market and speaks for the integrity and strength of our humanity. The foundation awakens my compassion and renews my faith in a democracy that creates joy and hope for others as well as ourselves. And it’s so easy to be involved!
My work last summer with the kids in Pena Blanca on the Team Member Volunteer Program was an incredibly rewarding experience. I went there to teach the kids, but I was really the student, a student of humanity and I learned a lot from them. So much so that I’ve been inspired to create similar programs for our kids in the Pittsburgh community."
"It was important for me to educate the team members about Whole Planet Foundation so that they would really connect to the understanding that Whole Foods Market is more than just a really great grocery store. As usual, the team members in Portland didn't disappoint and came through like the rock stars that we are!"
Maryel Tomter is the In Store Educator at the Portland store in Maine.
“I’m inspired by the integrity, determination, hard work and the generosity of the women who receive the micro-loans.
Their main focus is family and community. These are amazing, resilient women who make such a positive impact on others.”
"What hooked me into Whole Planet Foundation is the microcredit client inspired recipes our Team Member ambassadors have brought back from their travels. Recipes like Ethiopian Chickpea Stew and Pollo en Jocon from Guatemala give us a way to connect with people a world away through the common language of food. When I sit down to a bowl of spicy Guatemalan Chicken Stew it makes me think about people in those communities sitting down to the same meal. It’s like we’re sharing a dinner table even though we’re miles apart."
Miguel has helped raise the Whole Foods Market Wheaton store team member participation rate in giving through payroll deduction to WPF from 14% to 47% since October. He has on three separate occasions sold WPF Calendars while supporting Mrs. Meyers and Simply Orange, vendors who gave $25,000 each to fund microlending programs as part of the Poverty is Unnecessary Fund. A world traveler, Miguel cares deeply about poverty on our planet and works diligently to help the WPF help others. Thank you Miguel!
Mona Rodriguez is an extraordinary person full of compassion and energy. She has done a series of awareness events about Whole Planet Foundation since she returned from the Team Member Volunteer trip to Costa Rica. A favorite is the “Pumpkin project” where she and her fellow Team Members at Cedar Center painted pumpkins to be sold in her store with all of the proceeds going to Whole Planet Foundation. Check out the pumpkins!
Here is what she has to say about her experiences on the Team Member Volunteer program when she went to Costa Rica for a month through Whole Foods Market:
“Whole Planet Foundation is an absolutely amazing organization. Being in Costa Rica opened my eyes to how much some of us take for granted. The ability to meet the wonderful women who benefit from the microloans was a life changing experience. Having the ability to make a difference by planting 600 trees and teaching English has taught my family and I that it is not only okay to sacrifice time and money to help others, it is the most awarding gift anyone can have!”
Thank you Mona!
Pata is a Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteer who spent 30 days in Costa Rica rescuing sea turtles, visiting EARTH University and meeting microcredit clients of Grameen Cost Rica, a WPF partner. Here is what Pata has to say about WPF and the WFM Team Member Volunteer Program "My passion for WPF will always stand. I took a trip with amazing Whole Foods Market team members to Costa Rice to support poverty alleviation in the global community where WFM products, and I did share most of my story with regional leadership, and with our stores. I was able convince some of our team members to volunteer too and they were really amazed when they came back from their trip." Team members like Pata are what makes Whole Foods Market a wonderful place to work. Thank you Pata!
Traci Rong is a natural for motivating people to action which is how she has earned her place on the team member spotlight. She is inquisitive and tenacious and delights in sharing her contagious enthusiasm for Whole Planet Foundation with team members as an In Store Educator at the Walnut Creek store in Northern California. Her team members are steadily getting more and more involved with 38% of team members now generously contributing through payroll deduction every two weeks.
For Valentine’s Day she and the floral team traded Whole Trade Guarantee roses with students at a local high school for a contribution to fund microcredit through Whole Planet Foundation. They attached a Whole Planet Foundation funded microcredit loan recipient's profile to each rose to raise awareness amongst the young people. Awareness is a key to action and a great way to engage the students in the small actions that add up to big changes.
Traci says “Most people aren’t poor because they’re inherently lazy, they lack resources. Yunus’ model for micro-finance as a vehicle to empower people to lift themselves up is brilliant.”
Thank you Traci for awakening the spirit of giving and empowerment in your store and everywhere you go.
A $100 tip came to Whole Foods Market Regency team member Bahia Mar for her help with a customer’s gift basket orders. When Bahia heard the news of the tip, she said, “Well, I had help making those gift baskets.” So, the TMs primarily involved in helping this customer with her gift baskets, John Kelley, Bahia Mar and Josh Sronce decided rather than split it up, they would donate it to the Whole Planet Foundation.
Omaha Nebraska’s Regency Payroll Benefits Specialist Kathy Uhlenbrock says: “That must have been stellar customer service to receive a tip that large and great compassion to pass it along.”
"I donate to the Whole Planet Foundation because I want to help support people in developing countries, especially the women who are working to support their families."
"Just to know that someone in need will have that help there is great inspiration in itself!"
Dajuan Brown is a Customer Service Associate Team Leader at the Walnut Creek store in Northern California.
“It’s less than a cup of coffee, and I actually make a difference in someone’s life.”
“I’ve volunteered for the Peace Corps before, but now that I have kids and work full-time, it’s hard to find the time to contribute to worthy charities. Giving to Whole Planet Foundation is one way I can stay connected to the world.”
Julie Finn and Stephanie Voss are team members at the Framingham store in Massachusetts.
Read what team member volunteer Kerry Page has to say about her adventure in Guatemala and how she leveraged her trip and her souvenir purchases into a cycle of awareness and money raising for Whole Planet Foundation that keeps giving and giving and giving…. Thank you Kerry!
“Going to Guatemala meant so much to me because it put real people and real faces on the Whole Planet Foundation mission. My perspective completely changed when I looked in the eyes of those women borrowers- what challenges they face everyday and how hard their life is. They are beautiful, amazing women with a lot on their shoulders to carry and they just need that little loan to rise above the challenges of their society and their life. I felt a responsibility to them and I knew the best way I could assist them is by making team members aware of the paycheck contribution program and the team member volunteer program. Not every team member can do the volunteer part, but every team member has the opportunity to be a part of the paycheck contribution program. The $1 minimum that we can give out of our paycheck is so small, we won’t miss it- but it is powerful when every team member in a store does it because that $1 collectively turns into $166 dollars, enough for an average loan for a women, or 2 loans for 2 women, etc. The effects of that $1 are even more far reaching because it touches her family, her children, and even the generations to come. I hope that through my wonderful Guatemala experience and my pictures that I can touch the hearts of our team members who can touch all the lives of the borrowers and their families.
I took $166 dollars that my Pikes Peak team members donated to me in an all store meeting and I used that money to buy souvenirs directly from our borrowers which was a suitcase full- so I gave most of the clothes I brought with me on the trip to the teachers in the Spanish school so that I would have a suitcase to bring back the souvenirs. I have been raffling off those souvenirs to team members that have contributed through the paycheck program, and to the public if they make a donation to WPF during the presentations.” Kerry Page
“It feels so great to work for a company that genuinely supports our communities on both a local and global level. Whole Planet Foundation truly embodies Whole Foods Market’s core values; I am so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Kristen Kaza is the Marketing Specialist in our Evanston North Store in Illinois.
"Travelling in Africa and Central America, I saw that people in developing countries have incredible passion and entrepreneurial spirit. I love supporting Whole Planet Foundation because it empowers people in less-developed countries to develop their own solutions to poverty. Recipients of micro-loans can start businesses that appeal to their own unique talents, serve a real need in their community and often preserve invaluable artisanal wisdom. Working with Whole Foods Market, I feel so blessed to have a livelihood that has a positive impact in my community, I want the same for people all over the world!"
Lauren McCutcheon is an In Store Educator at the Santa Cruz California store.
Global Headquarters
In her regular mission to secure the best services at the best price for Whole Foods Market, Leslie came up with the idea of asking our partners if they are interested in joining us in our mission to alleviate poverty through entrepreneurship. Premiere Global Services, a teleconference service provider to Whole Foods Market, said yes and committed to donating a % of their WFM sales of service to Whole Planet Foundation to fund microcrelending programs. Leslie's tireless effforts on behalf of team member happiness and fun are legendary but this takes the cake in originality and commitment to making a positive difference. Thank you Leslie and Premiere Global Services.
"If we can't physically do something to help, then this is what we need to do to help people change their lives."
Michelle is a Customer Service team member and Matt is a Prepared Foods team member at the Portland store in Maine.
"Why would you not want to be part of Whole Planet Foundation?”
“We may not have it all together, but together we have it all”
Doug Straub, the Receiver and Morghan Dill is the Team Member Awareness Group and Green Mission Store Representative at Colfax in Colorado.
“Whole Planet Foundation is transforming the lives of others and the shifting global awareness of poverty. For pennies a day, I am able to participate in a program that offers others the opportunity to break the cycle and create a life for themselves, full of choice and freedom. I have been fortunate to see first hand the work of the Whole Planet Foundation and I’m honored to be a part of the Whole Foods Market Family.”
Nikki Heil is the Store Marketing Specialist at the Sarasota store in Florida and a Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteer who spent a month in Guatemala.
“I was blown away to learn that billions of people live on pennies a day. Through the Whole Planet Foundation, it is so easy to really make a difference in the lives of these women.” Nancy Seeno
"What little sacrifice I'm making by donating maybe a cup of coffee, is helping to change a persons whole life. It's worth giving up that cup of coffee."
Carl is a Prepared Foods team member in the Portland store in Maine.
The Arlington store in Virginia was number one in the Prosperity Campaign, raising $25,652 through the generous donations of our guests and team members. Customer service team members did a fantastic job of raising awareness. Arlington's top two cashiers raising money in the prosperity campaign are Fatiya, who raised $2,600 and Tsion who raised $2,200. “Our team members know how to share our stories and their personal experiences is what won the hearts and minds of our customers in supporting this worthy project,” said Victor Vasquez, Arlington Store Team Leader. Outgoing Arlington Store Team Leader, Jean-Michel Bartolo said of the caring and selfless Arlington community that “their generosity demonstrates their commitment to a global community and the mission of microlending.” Hooray for Arlington Customer Service team members! Thank you all for empowering so many individuals to lift themselves out of poverty, to the tune of $25,652.
It is beautiful how our customers and team members stepped up to the plate to empower individuals in emerging economies where we source product, by giving generously. Thank you all.
Philip Sansone, the President of Whole Planet Foundation and John Mackey, Chairman and CEO of Whole Foods Market and a strong supporter of Whole Planet Foundation, went to Arlington to personally thank the Arlington Customer Service team for their stupendous effort.
"I donate money from my paycheck to Whole Planet Foundation because I know that my money is actually going to the intended people. With many organizations today I am hesitant about giving my money because I don't necessarily trust that the money is actually being donated properly. My sister went on the first Team Member Volunteer trip to Costa Rica to work with endangered sea turtles and meet microcredit clients funded by the foundation. To hear first hand accounts of the efforts that Whole Planet Foundation is putting out there made me donate even more. I look forward to volunteering on a future trip so I can see how microlending is benefiting women around the world. It's yet another way that I can see how my contribution is helping people as it is intended to do."
Nikki Newman is a Concierge team member at the Lamar store in Austin Texas.
"I could either buy sushi or directly change someone's life........I'm changing someone's life." Shannon is a buyer for the Specialty Team at the Portland store in Maine.
Store Team Leader Cyn Leo and her team members Carl Johnson, Sue D’Arrigo, Edgar Mejia, Oscar Hernandez welcomed Joy Peterson, Internal Programs Coordinator, to Mill Valley as part of a 17 store awareness raising tour for Whole Planet Foundation in the Northern California Region. What a beautiful store and what great team members! Thank you all!
“I feel very passionate about Whole Planet Foundation. It helps underprivileged people which helps the entire world and builds camaraderie between all nations. I am very proud to be part of a company that is so proactive in doing the right thing."
Gus Tuomi is the In Store Educator for the Los Altos store in California.
“As soon as I found out I was able to deduct $10 a paycheck to WPF I did. Why? Well I read the information and realized that 3 lattes a pay period would provide a person with the ability to make it on their own. Start their own business, put food on their table for their family and community. It makes me feel good that my small amount of $10 a pay period brings security, independence, and wealth to people who would not have that option before. I donate because I can. “
Jennifer Jones is the Florida Regional Accountant
"This is an amazing opportunity that we are given....to donate to help change someones life and we are empowering women by doing it."
Katie is a Customer Service Team Member and Erin is a Customer Service Supervisor at the Portland store in Maine.
"This is a perfect example of how so little goes so far. If each team member in a store gives just a dollar a paycheck, collectively that can equal an entire loan for a woman. That one loan also has a positive effect on her family, village, and generations to come. There is no limit to that one dollar and how much it pays forward."
Kerry Page is the Payroll and Benefits Specialist at the New Center Point store in Colorado.
"It feels great knowing I am helping someone with a hand-up, as opposed to merely a hand-out.”
Traci Rong is the In-Store Educator for the Walnut Creek Store in our Northern California region.
"It doesn't take a lot to make a difference in someone's life."
Corey and Jen are Customer Service Team members at the Portland store in Maine.
"I enjoy helping people get their businesses started as much as I enjoy working for a company that would give them such a chance."
Jonathan McMurdo is a Customer Service team member at the Quarry store in San Antonio Texas.
"I donate to Whole Planet Foundation every month because it's a small effort that makes a big difference. Knowing that my money is going directly to women who are positively effecting their communities is rewarding and reinforces why I work for a company like Whole Foods Market. It's wonderful to know that there are efforts being made to change lives for the better and I am helping to make that happen."
Meg Mascarenas is a Floral Assistant Specialist at the Lamar store in Austin Texas.
“It seems like such a small thing…how can you not donate to something so wonderful?”
Michelle Peluso is the Marketing Assistant and Store Team Member Awareness Group Representative for the Paradise Valley Store in Arizona.
San Rafael TMs Bertha Maier and Akila Ramakrishnan were instrumental in the Prosperity Campaign in the San Rafael store in Northern California. Houray for all Customer Service team members who made the prosperity Campaign a huge success!
"I donate because I know the people are truly in need and will use it for what they need; to create a living for themselves and their family. Plus, it's a loan, so what we give not only helps one person, but over time as that person pays back their loan, that money will go on to the next person in need and creates a small cycle within the grand plan of ending poverty."
Falesha is a Concierge team member and the Team Member Awareness Group store representative for the Lamar store in Austin, Texas.
"We all do better when we all do better"
Katy, Shannon, Alan and Carlos are Bakery team members at the Portland store in Maine.
Pikes Peak
“I can’t believe how much so little can impact the lives of so many people.”
Rick Mickelson is a Team member at the Pikes Peak store in Colorado.
"For less than the cost of ONE cup of coffee a paycheck, I can make a huge difference in somebody’s life. Think what we could do if everybody donated!"
Heather Behymer is the Payroll and Benefits Specialist for the South Atlanta Bakehouse and South Seafood Distribution.
Pikes Peak
"You gotta love getting a paycheck that has already given to others."
Sarah is a Team Member at the Pikes Peak store in Colorado.
“It’s an amazing feeling to know that our team members are concerned about making a difference in the world and helping others.”
Helen Lee is a Whole Body team member in the Tannasbourne Store in Oregon which is in the Pacific Northwest region.
"It is amazing that we can give people a hand up instead of a hand out. By giving of ourselves we assist people by empowering them, instead of giving them charity.”
Tara Hughes is a Customer Service Team Leader at Kirby in Houston Texas.
"We are so fortunate to have so much, even in bad times.......how can I not."
Sean is a Prepared Foods team member at the Portland store in Maine.
"Having families, we are showing our kids that no matter how much or how little you give, in the end it all makes a huge difference in someone's life."
Becky is a Payroll and Benefits Backup and Melise is a team member at the Portland store in Maine.
"It's what I need to do because I can"
Ruth is a floral team member at the Portland store in Maine.
