Whole Planet Foundation

On the sixth anniversary of independence for East Timor, two Austin based organizations, committed to being active members of the global community, are combining forces and resources to improve life in Asia’s poorest nation. Whole Planet Foundation and the Silverton Foundation, a private family foundation, announced a collaboration that could direct up to $600,000 over three years in support of microlending projects in East Timor operated by Moris Rasik, our partner on the ground.

Why East Timor?
East Timor is one of the world’s poorest nations. It is an island nation located off the northern coast of Australia with a population of one million and an annual per capita income of $500. East Timor is the first newly independent nation of the new millennium, and remains the beneficiary of international goodwill and attention in the hope it may become a successful model of international development in support of democratic self determination. read full article

Progress has continued to be positive for Whole Planet Foundation’s Microfinance Program with growth in existing projects and investigation of additional projects to support Whole Foods Market producer communities. More than 10 new microfinance initiatives are currently under review. As of July, 2008, WPF has committed $6.5 million to support microlending programs around the world. Over 17,000 individuals have started or expanded home-based businesses with these funds. The increased attention and support of Whole Planet Foundation from Whole Foods customers, vendors and interested individuals, is enabling access to microcredit for thousands of entrepreneurs that before had no access to capital and little opportunity to pull themselves and their families out of poverty.

Whole Foods Market Team Members have donated over $239,300 from their paychecks since May of 2007 to Whole Planet Foundation, funding 1,595 microloans that will indirectly give 7,975 people in the developing world a path to economic prosperity. The mission of Whole Planet Foundation resonates with Whole Foods Market Team Members who are eager to engage in our mission to help eradicate poverty. We realize the power we have together if each of us makes a commitment, even as small as $1 a paycheck. Join us in this effort to offer a “hand up” to people around the world by visiting http://www.wholeplanetfoundation.org/ and by making a commitment of your own. read full article

To all you foodies out there-- Whole Planet Foundation and Whole Foods Market's flavors have partnered to create ethnic recipes, featuring traditional foods from the regions where the borrowers we support live and work. Taste and share the same foods as our borrowers eat in their daily lives with their families, and bring a piece of their reality in to your kitchen. With the increased cost of food, we hope you’ll find these value recipes to be of assistance. Look for a new recipe to be featured quarterly in the flavors e-newsletter as well as on the Whole Planet Foundation website.

“La ganancia es el pan de cada día”- My salary is our daily bread. -Euceria Bernardez (bread-maker, inspiration for pan de coco recipe, WPF borrower) read full article

Carmen Castillo runs a small store with her mother, Dilcia, in the Caribbean coastal village of Guadalupe, Honduras. She is a client of Adelante Foundation, a Whole Planet Foundation partner that offers small business loans to poor women. Carmen has used her loans to buy greater quantities of products for her store, decreasing her overhead costs. The recent increase in costs of basic foods, however, has caused her business to suffer greatly. She has had to compensate by raising her prices which is hard on her clientele who depend on these products as staples in their diet. Despite this great challenge, Carmen and her mother work every day of the week, dedicated to growing a profitable business. In the future, she hopes to increase her customer base by traveling to nearby communities to sell her products. She and her husband, a carpenter, work together to support their children and create an economic foundation so that they can pull themselves out of poverty over time. See more borrower stories.  read full article

In 2007, we launched the Whole Planet Foundation Supplier Alliance for Microcredit (SAM), an alliance of natural food companies supporting the mission of microlending. Valued partner companies include Allegro Coffee Company, Back to Nature, Balance Bar, The Hain Celestial Group, Ito En (Tea's Tea), Naked Juice, New Chapter, Seventh Generation, Stacy's and Whole Foods Market who together have pledged over $1 million to support entrepreneurs in Costa Rica and Indonesia.

One of our Supplier Alliance for Microcredit partners, Allegro Coffee Company, has been an essential ally to the Whole Planet Foundation since its founding in 2005. Jeff Teter, President of Allegro, is on the Foundation’s Board of Directors and, in addition, his team consistently supports the Foundation by providing extensive product sourcing information, identifying field based producer communities often even identifying the individual coffee farmers. This support is critical as our leadership mandates that our microlending projects are sited in communities where Whole Foods Market sources products. read full article

There is often confusion between Whole Planet Foundation and fair trade practices as captured in the Whole Trade Guarantee program. Whole Planet Foundation funds microfinance institutions to operate microlending programs in the developing world in communities where Whole Foods Market sources product. The Whole Trade Guarantee program identifies products in WFM stores with an exceptional commitment to ethical trade, the environment and quality. The products in the Whole Trade Guarantee program must meet specific criteria that demand quality in four areas of responsibility: 1. meets our high quality standards, 2. provides more money to producers, 3. ensures better wages and working conditions for workers and 4. cares for the environment.

For each Whole Trade Guarantee product sold, one percent of the retail sale goes to the Whole Planet Foundation. Choosing Whole Trade Guarantee products gives Whole Foods Market shoppers the opportunity to use their buying power to ensure a healthy working environment for producers in developing countries and to support the Foundation.

FEBRUARY 2008

Whole Foods Market Shoppers Raise $1 Million for Microcredit

Each year, Whole Foods Market shoppers have the opportunity to donate $2, $5, and $10 at registers in participating stores through the Prosperity Campaign. This year, customers and team members donated over $1 million to directly help over 7,000 individuals through microlending programs supported by Whole Planet Foundation. Since each head of household in the developing world typically supports five individuals, this will indirectly support 35,000 individuals in the developing world; giving them a chance to lift themselves and their family members out of poverty. read full article

Current Projects and Possible New Projects

Latin America: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua,
Honduras 
South East Asia: Indonesia and East Timor
Central Asia: India
United States: Queens, New York

Possible New Projects:
Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana
Latin America: Mexico, Colombia
South East Asia: Thailand
Central Asia: Nepal read full article

Join Us On Facebook!

We have joined Facebook and hope you’ll join our group to keep updated on news about our entrepreneurs and Foundation initiatives. Facebook is a social networking utility that fosters communication on a grassroots level. Facebook users, please join our group and help spread the word about our efforts to alleviate poverty through microlending to your networks.

We Are Blogging!

As part of our desire to share the stories of success from individuals helped through microlending and connect with the Whole Foods Market community, we are now blogging periodically on the new Whole Foods Market blog, Whole Story. Check out our latest blog posting.

Our first microlending project in the United States

We are pleased to announce that Whole Planet Foundation is supporting our first US project; operated by our trusted partner - Grameen America. The project supports first generation immigrant women in Jackson Heights, New York City, who are typically excluded from the conventional banking system due to lack of credit history and access to collateral. We will continue to concentrate our support on projects in developing world communities but we are delighted to align forces with our trusted partner, Grameen, in their first US microlending project.

Financial Audit

Whole Planet Foundation has completed its first external audit covering the time period since the Foundation was created in 2005 through December 31st, 2007. The audit, performed by Maxwell Locke and Ritter, found that the Foundation financial statements were fairly stated and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This is an important milestone for the Foundation. read full article

Support Costa Rican Borrowers through Global Giving

Through a unique partnership with GlobalGiving, you can help us fund 150 borrowers in Costa Rica to start or expand small businesses in the Limon Province.

Your support will go directly to the women in Costa Rica. Learn more about GlobalGiving and help us change the economic future for women in Costa Rica.