Whole Planet

Joy Stoddard is the Development and Outreach Director for Whole Planet Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Whole Foods Market. We were lucky enough to have a conversation with Joy about her motivation to give back, stemming from her earliest job as a candy striper to her career with Whole Foods. Joy has traveled the world working with microentrepreneurs and shared her unique perspective of having sought out opportunities to make an impact through for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations alike.

The 10K is hosted by Whole Planet Foundation, a nonprofit established by Whole Foods Market. The foundation pledges to give 100 percent of registration fees to “fund microcredit loans to lift entrepreneurs and their families out of poverty in 69 countries.” Many of the entrepreneurs are women in developing countries. Here’s a great infographic that highlights the work of the foundation.

Love to get your body moving? Want to make a difference for people living in poverty all over the world? Join Whole Planet Foundation’s Virtual 10K Run, which kicks off today. Event registration fees will benefit impoverished entrepreneurs with the chance to start or expand a home-based business and lift themselves and their families out of poverty. In fact, the first microloan from Whole Planet Foundation’s partner in Rwanda is the same as the price of registration, $35.

Whole Planet Foundation welcomes nuun hydration as a new member of the $10,000 Fund and as a sponsor of this year’s Virtual 10K Run, which aims to raise funds for microlending projects in 69 countries. “Our mission at nuun is simple in that ‘we inspire everyone to move more,’” says Kevin Rutherford, CEO (Chief Eternal Optimist) at nuun hydration. “The team at nuun is thrilled to partner with the positive change agents at Whole Planet Foundation, getting more people moving in the Virtual 10K Run, while giving back to help lift entrepreneurs out of poverty.” Visit Whole Planet Foundation’s blog for hydration tips from nuun and a chance to receive a limited edition nuun x WPF water bottle with your Virtual 10K registration and t-shirt purchase.

Whole Planet Foundation is warming up for its second annual Virtual 10k Run that takes place next month during August 3-7! Nearly 100 participants have registered and because the run occurs simultaneously where you are and in the digital sphere, spaces are endless! Please register today. We are inspired by top sponsors including The Seaweed Bath Co. who even invited their employees to run with us!

In 2010 I had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala for 30 days as part of Whole Foods Market’s Team Member Volunteer Program near Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful yet poorest regions of the country. Whole Foods Market launched its volunteer program in 2007 to give employees (called Team Members) the opportunity to witness the transformative power of microcredit in person and to volunteer alongside the community where Whole Foods Market sources products.

Greyston Bakery’s unique partnership with Whole Planet Foundation has served to advance both organizations’ social initiative. In addition to supporting job creation at the Bakery, a percentage of brownie and cookie sales benefit Whole Planet Foundation, a non-profit proud to be supported by a conscious company who doesn’t hire people to bake brownies but bakes brownies to hire people.

In February, we visited our microfinance partner Fonkoze in Haiti. The team visited the southwestern peninsula – the area hardest hit by Hurricane Matthew. Having visited the area three months after the hurricane, we were able to see operations beginning to normalize at the community level and branch level. Most of the clients we met were not able to resume activities until after they were able to recapitalize their existing loan. We see this as yet another good example of where Whole Planet Foundation’s funding can have an invaluable impact and support long term reconstruction after natural disasters.