Becky Peter
6/26/15
As part of Whole Foods Market Wilmington’s Community Giving Program, the North Carolina Coastal Federation was chosen as the recipient for a 5% Giving Day on June 10. The 5% Giving Day program at Whole Foods showcases a local nonprofit organization in the store for one day, and donates five percent of the store’s net sales for that day to the nonprofit. The donation from June 10 will support the federation’s educational programs at the Fred and Alice Stanback Coastal Education Center in Wrightsville Beach. “One of our core values is serving and supporting our local and global communities, and hosting 5% days is one way in which we live out this core value,” said Erin McNally, Whole Foods Wilmington Marketing Team Lead.
The federation was in the Whole Foods on Oleander Drive from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 10, interacting with customers and sharing the local efforts of the federation. In addition to talking with customers and handing out information sheets, our wonderful board members, southeast advisory committee members, and staff manned interactive stormwater displays and touch tanks filled with live critters from our locals waters. In one visit, Whole Foods shoppers got to learn how stormwater runoff can pollute our waters and how they can help stop that from happening- and then they could hold some of the creatures that live in those waters, like hermit crabs and sea squirts.
The federation’s emphasis on reducing polluted stormwater runoff reaching our coastal waters and protecting and restoring coastal habitats resonates well with Whole Foods Market. “We believe in food in its purest form and support practices that are as eco-friendly as possible, such as our seafood rating system (and our stance not to carry red rated “overfished” seafood), our Responsibly Grown produce rating system which prohibits the most harmful chemicals, and our in-store Zero Waste efforts to divert over 90% of waste from the landfill,” explained McNally. “These are a few examples of how our standards, actions, and partnerships help support our community.”
Thanks to the support of Whole Foods Market and our amazing community, $2,834.90 was raised for the federation’s local education programs!! Thank you to Whole Foods Market for this wonderful opportunity, and to all our members, volunteers, and shoppers who supported this community effort!
If you’d like more information about the federation’s local habitat restoration, advocacy, or education programs- or would like to become a member- please contact Ted Wilgis at tedw@nccoast.org or call 910-509-2838.