The Community First Grant Program supports nonprofits focused on long-term fresh, healthy food
access and nutrition education that are engaged with Whole Foods Market Team Members. This includes projects such as community gardens, mobile markets, healthy cooking classes and more.
To date, we have awarded 283 grants in 120 cities, investing $1,731,000 with the help from over 160 Team Members who both nominate the organizations and commit to volunteering with them during the grant year.
For 2022, we are thrilled to announce that 52 Team Member nominations have been accepted and 65 nonprofit partners are invited to apply for a Community First Grant up to $8,000 each.
Meet the 2022 Team Members who are championing fresh, healthy food access in their local communities!
Global
- Heather Heiss | CE CEN | Austin, Texas
- Kelly Landrieu | CE CEN | Austin, Texas
- Marissa Pekarek | CE CEN | Austin, Texas
- Ted Piper | CE CEN | Austin, Texas
Mid-Atlantic
- Brent Kirk | MA SPP | Glen Allen, Virginia
Midwest
- Daniel Berry | MW HDP | Chicago, IL
- Gennaro Galtieri | MW MWC | Chicago, IL
- Kadie Staine | MW WHN | Wheaton, IL
- Matthew McNeill | MW LXG | Lexington, Kentucky
- Connie Eger | MW LOU | Louisville, Kentucky
- Edward Whittington | MW GAL | St. Louis, Missouri
- Ge Song | CE MAC | St. Louis, Missouri
- Jenny Krebs | MW CIN | Cincinnati, Ohio
- Ron McCann | MW DUB | Columbus, Ohio
- Matthew Todd | MW YNG | Toronto, Ontario
- Katie Grandy | MW WAW| Milwaukee, Wisconsin
North Atlantic
- Erika Mercieri | NA WHF | West Hartford, Connecticut
- Chuck Oliveri | NA INK | Boston, Massachusetts
- Derick Axon | NA WLY | Wellesley, Massachusetts
- Alex Serrano | NA FPD | Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Dena Cherenson | NA FPD | Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Patrick Rumierz | NA HAD | Hadley, Massachusetts
- James Clancy | NA HGM | Hingham, Massachusetts
- Debby Tamborella | NA HGM | Hingham, Massachusetts
- Nia Nugent-Faverman | NA WLY | Wellesley, Massachusetts
- Shawn Parkhouse | NA PNH | Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Melinda Saris | NA BDF | Bedford, New Hampshire
- Halli Chamberlain | NA NNH | Nashua, New Hampshire
- Bryant Pikcilingis | NA PNH | Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Northeast
- Adrian Sanchez | NE WBG | Brooklyn, New York
- Margot Sansone | NE BKN | Brooklyn, New York
- Maryann Young | NE BKN | Brooklyn, New York
- Taina Morales | NE BKN | Brooklyn, New York
- Datza Pogson | NE WCL | Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
Pacific Northwest
- Patrick Rider | PN NVN | North Vancouver, British Columbia
- Julie Lustig | PN PRV | West Vancouver, British Columbia
- Layla Iranshad | PN GNW | Tigard, Oregon
- Juliette Tiger | CE RSF | Seattle, Washington
Rocky Mountain
- Phylicia Clutter | RM OPK | Overland Park, Kansas
- Paige Miller | RM KCM | Kansas City, Missouri
- Chris Martinez | RM LIN | Lincoln, Nebraska
Southeast
- Jason Stonicher | SO MBK | Birmingham, Alabama
- Shannon Warren | SO MBK | Birmingham, Alabama
- Paul Small | FL BIS | Aventura, Florida
- Chris Sabido | FL WPN | Winter Park, Florida
- Carrie McNallie | SO WIN | Winston Salem, North Carolina
- Meg Gorman | SO CHT | Chattanooga, Tennesse
Southern Pacific
- Marie Denny | SP QUE | Honolulu, Hawaii
- Heather Baker | SP QUE | Honolulu, Hawaii
Southwest
- Roberto Somavilla | SW ADN | Addison, Texas
- Freddie Cavazos | SW PKL | Dallas, Texas
- Adam Silvia | SW SGL | Sugar Land, Texas
Since 2016, Team Members have nominated organizations in over 100 cities!
