Groundwork Somerville awarded Community First Grant

Whole Cities Foundation, an independent nonprofit foundation established by Whole Foods Market, recently awarded local nonprofit Groundwork Somerville a $5,000 Community First Grant, to fund healthy eating initiatives in the city.

Groundwork Somerville is using grant funds to improve food access in the local community by providing agricultural skills development opportunities for residents, while using several urban farms to provide fresh produce to the community of Somerville. The three characteristics of food that Groundwork Somerville focuses on is affordability, proximity and cultural relevance.

Now in its second year, the Community First Grant Program aims to support partnerships between Whole Foods Market team members and community-led organizations working to increase access to healthy food and nutrition information in their communities. The grant awarded to Groundwork Somerville is part of a $220,000 investment in 44 organizations in 40 cities across 26 states. Projects funded this year include urban farming projects, mobile produce markets and educational programs for healthy eating, gardening and agricultural skills.

“At Whole Cities, we have a vision for an America where fresh, healthy food is affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of income or zip code,” said Walter Robb, chairman of the Whole Cities Foundation Board. “This national grant program allows us to find and support a network of grass-roots organizations that have developed unique solutions to increase the availability of fresh, healthy food in their own communities.”

The Community First Grant Program is one example of Whole Foods Market’s “Community First” principles, where community-led organizations and local residents build their local food system. Through the program, the foundation seeks to amplify the outcomes of the solutions set in place by community leaders.

“What’s unique about this program is that it’s our own team members who shine the light on these worthwhile grant recipients,” Robb said. “In some cases, it’s the team members, themselves, who are the grantees, bringing Whole Foods Market’s passion for a healthier world to their own community and with their own heart. We could not be prouder of them.”

The next opportunity for Whole Foods Market team members to apply in support of a community organization will be spring 2018.

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