Whole Foods' 5% Day To Benefit Roots Of Change

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Whole Food Market's upcoming 5% Day on Oct. 18 will benefit Roots of Change, an organization to create resilient farms and healthy food for all Californians, the Public Health Institute announced.

Roots of Change leads innovative projects and campaigns involving community leaders, chefs, farmers and policymakers across the state of California, the press release said. The organization also created the Market Match Nutrition Incentive Program, making fresh produce affordable for low income families, and led the policy campaign that made California a source of nutrition incentive funding.

“Our partnership with Whole Foods Market will help lend a powerful megaphone to the good food movement,” Michael R. Dimock, the president of Roots of Change, said in a statement. “Together we can champion new voices that will help bring healthy food from every farm to every fork.”

The funds contributed to Roots of Change through Whole Foods Market’s 5% Day will support its Healthy California Campaign that improves healthy food access and the economic opportunities for small-scale organic producers using policy change and consumer education, the press release said.

Whole Foods Market launched its quarterly Community Giving Day Program in 1993, in which five percent of the day’s net sales are donated to support local nonprofit and community-based organizations that "align with the brand’s core values," the press release said.

“Whole Foods Market is deeply committed to helping provide access to healthy foods in all communities that we serve,” Susan Livingston, Global Director, Community Engagement + Events Marketing at Whole Foods Market, said. “Roots of Change builds powerful collaborations with policymakers, producers, community leaders and neighbors to develop policies and programs that improve access for all Californians. The organization’s impact is tremendous, and together we’ll explore opportunities to expand or replicate the model in the future.”

Image via David Allen/Patch