Community Giving

It all started with one of the worst floods in Austin, Texas history, back in 1981 at the original Whole Foods Market.  We knew that our neighbors loved to shop at our all-natural supermarket, but we didn't know how much our community relied on our store until the flood caused so much damage our founders were ready to close up shop.  That is until the morning's customers and neighbors filtered in and, met with an un-shoppable store, joined the staff to repair and clean up the damage.

That was many years (and over 270 stores) ago, but Whole Foods Market has never lost sight of the important partnership that exists between a store and the community in which it does business.  That is why our company's Core Values guide us to give back to our local communities.  Whole Foods Market Deerfield is proud to serve our neighborhood by sponsoring community events, donating to local non-profits and providing education to everyone who surrounds our store in exchange for the opportunity to do business here.

Whole Foods Market is a company with a conscience. We believe passionately in supporting the communities we serve. We believe companies, like individuals, must assume their share of responsibility as tenants of Planet Earth. On a local basis, we are actively involved in our communities by:

• Supporting local food banks
• Sponsoring neighborhood events
• Donating goods and services to 501c3 not-for-profit organizations
• Educating children and adults with explanatory interactive tours of our stores
• Offering informative classes
• Hosting adult and child cooking classes
• Performing community service work; We recognize that our team members are dedicated to the improvement of their neighborhoods and compensate them for volunteering.
• Community Support Days; We donate 5% of a day's net sales once a quarter to not-for-profit organizations that desperately need recognition and support.

Our business is intimately tied to the neighborhood and larger community that we serve and in which we live. The unique character of our stores is a direct reflection of the customers who shop with us. Without their support, both financial and philosophical, Whole Foods Market would not be in business. Our interdependence at times goes beyond our mutual interest in quality food, and where appropriate, we will respond.

In order to serve as many community organizations as possible, we can only donate to an organization once a year. We also cannot support religiously affiliated organizations, but if the religious organization has a separate not-for-profit that they're involved with, we would be happy to accept a donation application.

Donation Options

We offer four main types of assistance to local non-profit organizations. 

In-Kind Donation: This application is for all general donations, including product donation or items for auction.

One Dime at a Time Donation: We offer all customers 10 cents for every bag they reuse.  They can choose do donate their bag refund to a designated non-profit organization through the One Dime at a Time Program.

5% Community Support Day: Four times per year, Whole Foods Market Deerfield donates 5% of a chosen day's net sales to a local non-profit organization.  The Community Support Day is a large-scale partnership, and applications may not be considered immediately but will be kept on file.

Script Gift Card Program: Whole Foods Market Deerfield partners with local schools and non-profits to provide a 5% discount on group purchases of gift cards to be sold as a fundraiser for the organization.

Thank you, shoppers! Finally, we must thank our customers for shopping at Whole Foods Market Deerfield and in turn directly supporting our Community Giving programs.  Recent recipients include:

• Chicago Botanic Garden Kids Camp
• Lake Forest Openlands Association
• Upper Des Plaines River Ecosystem Partnership
• Young Survivors Coalition
• The Cancer Wellness Center
• The Family Network of Highland Park
• Deerfield District 112 Education Foundation
• Orphans of the Storm
• The Cove School
• Terra Madre Flood Relief Fund
• The Gorton Community Center
• JCYS of Highland Park
• The Art Center of Highland Park
• Lake Bluff Openlands Association
• The Deerfield Food Pantry
• March of Dimes - Illinois Chapter

For detailed information or a donation application contact: Cheri Endler, Marketing Associate, at cheri.endler@wholefoods.com or 847.444.1900 x125. All donation requests require at least six to eight weeks notice.

For detailed information on the One Dime at a Time Donations Program and our 5% Community Support Days, please contact Perri Kramer, Marketing & Community Relations, at perri.kramer@wholefoods.com or 847.444.1900 x107. All donation requests require at least six to eight weeks notice.

Our Community 5% Days are another meaningful way we give back to our community. On designated days throughout the year a total of 5% of the day's net sales are donated to local non-profit organizations. Customers help support our selected organizations just by shopping on these 5% Days.

Shop with us this Wednesday, October 7th and 5% of the day's net sales will be donated to The Cancer Wellness Center. The Cancer Wellness Center is a not-for-profit that helps people live better while living with cancer.

Store Tours

We offer tours for groups age 4+ that can be paired with cooking activities and provide a healthy, fun learning experience. Previous tours have focused on organics, healthy eating, recycling, international foods, reading labels, and parent/child themes.

We would be happy to plan a tour for your group. For more information about tours and cooking activities, please email Cheri Endler at Cheri.Endler@wholefoods.com or call 847.444.1900 ext. 129.

We provide tours for groups of all ages Monday and Wednesday. Please call for futher information, thanks!