Shoppers find easy ways to combat poverty in the grocery aisle

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Whole Foods Market® and Nature's Path introduce two exclusive mueslis to help shoppers fight poverty and empower women worldwide through its Whole Planet Foundation.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121015/DA92273LOGO)

When shoppers purchase Nature's Path's organic, Non-GMO Project-verified Heritage Mueslis in two new flavors – Raspberry Hazelnut or Wild Blueberry Almond – Nature's Path will donate 2 percent of the retail price to Whole Planet Foundation. Additionally, each box spotlights an entrepreneur who has changed her own life through microcredit.

Through grants to microfinance partners, Whole Planet Foundation alleviates poverty worldwide where Whole Foods Market sources products. To date, the foundation has committed more than $34 million and disbursed more than $22 million in 54 countries, including the U.S.

"Thanks to Nature's Path for offering shoppers an opportunity to not only give back, but learn about our microfinance partners and how loans as small as $200 can help a poor entrepreneur create big change for her and her family," said Philip Sansone, president and executive director for Whole Planet Foundation.

Featured microcredit clients and partners include:

• Thusitha, a microentrepreneur who used her microloan to support her tailoring business. Thusitha is a client of BRAC, the largest development operation in the world. Whole Planet Foundation supports BRAC's microlending programs in Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Through the foundations' support, BRAC has deepened its commitment to entrepreneurship in developing nations by providing microloans to adolescent girls. Notably, in Uganda, BRAC can now provide loans to 15,300 new adolescent borrowers over the next three years.
• Microentrepreneur Luisa who used her microloans to produce artisan goods. Luisa is a client of Pro Mujer, a Whole Planet Foundation partner in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. Pro Mujer provides women with means to build livelihoods and futures for themselves and their families through small loans, savings and insurance, business training and high-quality, low-cost primary healthcare. The organization serves more than 260,000 women and their one million children and extended family members. Pro Mujer also helps clients prevent and diagnose health problems and provides immediate access to healthcare through its in-center and mobile clinics.

The new Nature's Path's Heritage Mueslis will be available at Whole Foods Market for $4.69 while supplies last.

Contact: Liz Burkhart
[email protected]

SOURCE Whole Foods Market