Whole Foods Market Brings A Fresh Approach to Hunger Relief Few retailers share our commitment to providing fresh, healthy foods quite like Whole Foods Market. Over the last two decades, the organic foods grocer has donated more than 1.7 million pounds of food, hundreds of volunteer hours, and over $500,000 to The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). This year, they went beyond their traditional giving. On Thursday, April 18, Whole Foods Market donated 5 percent of all sales from their 30 locations in Eastern Massachusetts in support of GBFB’s biggest annual fundraising event—FreshFest. It resulted in a one-day donation of more than $167,000, which will help us provide over half a million meals for people in need. “At Whole Foods Market, we care about our communities and focus on investing in mission-aligned nonprofits like The Greater Boston Food Bank,” said Jean-Philippe Scioville, senior marketing specialist of community engagement at Whole Foods Market East Region. “We’re honored to give to The Greater Boston Food Bank through our community giving program and look GBFB.org/get-involved LEARN MORE AT Everyone has a role in ending hunger in our community.® 4 Getting Help and Helping Others Food brings people together. Whether it’s giving food or receiving it—or sometimes both—it can turn a group of strangers into a community. “The first time I went to the pantry I was nervous,” said Candice, a parent who both gets food and volunteers at a Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) School-based Pantry. “I didn’t know what the people would be like there. But it’s like a big family.” Candice and her three children, ages 8, 10 and 14, lived in a shelter before moving to Revere six years ago. Her two youngest children now attend Paul Revere Innovation School in Revere, the site of one of GBFB’s free, farmer’s market-style School-based Pantries. “Since they’ve been born I’ve been their sole provider,” Candice said. “It’s tough some days.” Candice has been going to the pantry since it opened a few years ago. GBFB operates nine School-based Pantries across Eastern Massachusetts. Families go home with 50 pounds of high-quality food from each monthly distribution. “You go to the store and the produce is outrageously expensive, so you come here and its great,” Candice said. “I get potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, even fresh mangoes once.” Candice has also been volunteering at the pantry since it opened. Each month she helps set up the school cafeteria for the distribution and hands out food to other families. “I love volunteering. I get to interact with other parents and show the kids that they’re helping out the community,” she said. “I can show them it’s not all about receiving, it’s also about giving.” forward to continuing our relationship for the betterment of our community and to assist our neighbors in need.” Whole Foods Market is a GBFB Partner for Impact, one of the 150 businesses and organizations that provide more than just financial support to GBFB. Through volunteerism, event sponsorship, in-kind donations and more these organizations play a key role in helping GBFB achieve its mission. Candice is a parent at the Paul Revere Innovation School as well as a client and volunteer at the school’s School-based Pantry. GBFB President and CEO Catherine D’Amato (left) along with Senior Marketing Specialist of Community Engagement Whole Foods Market East Region Jean-Philippe Scioville (right) and other members of the Whole Foods Market team at the Whole Foods Market Tasting Experience at FreshFest.