North BK Angels receive $24K+ via Whole Foods’ Community Giving Day
On the second Thursday in January, Brooklyn Whole Foods Markets pledged to give 5% of their profits to local community heroes the North Brooklyn Angels. This effort is part of the company’s Community Giving Day. The January Community Giving Day initiative focuses on nourishing those in need by supporting nonprofits that work to improve access to healthy food for all, provide healthy eating and cooking resources and education, and highlight the essential role of healthy food in the communities Whole Foods Market serves. When the receipts were tallied for January 10th, 5% of the net sales came to $24, 300 for the Angels!
Over fifty neighborhood businesses, civic and faith-based groups, and community members form the North Brooklyn Angels, a nonprofit organization. Founded to help address the effects of gentrification on individuals and families, including rising rents which exacerbate food insecurity, The “Angels” bring food to where the need is, through their mobile soup kitchen truck, which serves up to 1,000 hot, healthy meals per week at varying points of need in the area.
“We sincerely thank everyone who made extraordinary efforts to encourage local Brooklyn people to shop at Whole Foods Market on their 5% Community Giving Day. We are especially grateful to Whole Foods for selecting the North Brooklyn Angels to benefit from the community giving day,” says Neil Sheehan, Board Chairperson for the North Brooklyn Angels. “Funds raised during this day will be vital in allowing the North Brooklyn Angels to continue and expand upon the services we provide to the community. We look forward to continued collaboration with WFM in giving back to the community.”
A lively team of volunteers worked the Angels’ information table at each store, sharing pictures, stories, information and expressing thanks to the shoppers and Whole Foods Markets’ staff. In addition to filling another vital need by inspiring visitors to join them as volunteers to help with cooking and food service shifts. Among curious shoppers and visitors were a group of local high school students at the Williamsburg store to learn about the Food Justice work of the Angels, as well as the NYPD’s 94th Precinct Youth Officers, joined by their Explorers Club members.
For more information on the North Brooklyn Angels, or to volunteer go to: www.northbrooklynangels.org
The Greenline 