Whole Foods Market announced Thursday it will grant Island Grown Initiative (IGI) 5 percent of its net sales on Thursday, Jan. 10, as part of the supermarket chain’s community giving program.
The quarterly initiative focuses on helping small nonprofits with limited budgets who help address community issues. More than 490 Whole Foods Stores across the nation will participate, according to a press release. IGI will benefit from store sales at the Hyannis Whole Foods located at 990 Iyannough Road, from 8 am to 9 pm.
“It’s an exciting opportunity we didn’t see coming,” Emily Armstrong, development manager at IGI, told The Times.
January’s Community Giving Day focuses on groups that tackle food accessibility. It is the first time Whole Foods is partnering with an Island nonprofit. “I think they liked the breadth of our programs,” Armstrong said. “Food equity, food access, farming — all different aspects of the food system.”
Armstrong said she’s curious what 5 percent of net sales could look like: “This will be really beneficial for us. We’re trying to get as many people into the store as possible. It’s an all-around cool thing to be recognized by a national organization on our little Island.”
