Whole Foods Market® and Vitamin Angels Tackle Childhood Malnutrition

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its "Be Good to Your Whole Body" campaign in Whole Body™ departments throughout November, Whole Foods Market focuses on raising awareness and support of Vitamin Angels, a powerful organization that connects malnourished or undernourished children around the world with vital nutrients, like vitamin A, needed to survive and thrive.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101101/LA92485)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101101/LA92485)

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070927/LATH047LOGO)

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070927/LATH047LOGO)

Research by Journal of the American Medical Association has found an estimated 190 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency worldwide and that one third of all childhood deaths are caused by under nutrition. A simple, cost-effective vitamin A capsule each six months can prevent blindness and reduce under-five mortality by 23 percent.(i)  

"Whole Foods Market is calling on shoppers to learn about Vitamin Angels this month by listening to the 'Viva Vitamin Angels' blog podcast with founder Howard Schiffer and we're highlighting products that support the cause," said Jeremiah McElwee, senior global Whole Body coordinator for Whole Foods Market. "This partnership is near and dear to the hearts of many Whole Body team members and supplier partners.  We want our customers to see how easy it is to get involved and make a positive impact on children's health around the world."

From November 1-30, Whole Foods Market will donate $1 for the first 5,000 people who share their thoughts about Vitamin Angels in response to the Viva Vitamin Angels podcast on the Whole Story blog. A second podcast, by Susan Oelker, southwest regional supplement buyer for Whole Foods Market, provides background on the company's relationship with Vitamin Angels and enthusiasm for supporting vendors that give back to the global community.

In-store, supplement-makers Rainbow Light and Garden of Life are doubling their contributions to Vitamin Angels for November. Year-round, for every package of Whole Foods Market's 365 Everyday Value® children's supplements sold, 50 cents goes to the organization.

"The children that benefit most from Vitamin Angels' work are those that are most vulnerable – children under 5, living in rural areas in extreme poverty who no one else is reaching," said Howard Schiffer, Vitamin Angels' founder. "This year, our organization is reaching over 20 million children in 40 countries, including the U.S., with vital nutrients and is literally saving children's lives. Our goal is to be reaching 50 million children a year by 2013.  Every child should have the opportunity to realize their full potential and contribute to making this world a better place."

"Not only does Vitamin Angels fight the global problem of undernourishment, faced by a third of all children," said McElwee. "Their success and efforts show that vitamins can and do make a huge difference to health, immune support and can even be life saving."

About Whole Foods Market®

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, Nasdaq: WFMI), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America's first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named "America's Healthiest Grocery Store" by Health magazine. The company's motto, "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet"™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company's more than 55,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America by FORTUNE magazine for 13 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2009, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 280 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

About Vitamin Angels

Vitamin Angels is dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by advancing availability, access and use of essential micronutrients, especially Vitamin A, to newborns, infants and children under five. In 2010, Vitamin Angels will connect over 20,000,000 children in 40 countries, including the US, with the vital nutrients they need as a foundation for good health.  To learn more about global malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and Vitamin Angels' solution for change, visit vitaminangels.org.

(i)  Fawzi WW et al (1993). Vitamin A supplementation and child mortality: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association, 269: 898–903.

SOURCE Whole Foods Market