WASHINGTON (March 26, 2014) – Whole Foods Market announced today it will participate in the St. Elizabeths East fresh food market, located at the St. Elizabeths Gateway Pavilion in Ward 8. The market kicks off Saturday, April 5 at noon, highlighting the site’s Gateway to Health program.
In an effort to provide District residents increased access to fresh food, Whole Foods Market plans to offer various fruits, vegetables, soups, fish and meat, in addition to having experts on hand to provide healthy eating information. The company will look to the community for feedback on what they hope to see at the market and will make changes to monthly selections in response. Whole Foods Market will donate all resulting proceeds to a local nonprofit.
“Whole Foods Market continues to deepen our commitment to the District and the people in it,” said Scott Allshouse, president of Whole Foods Market Mid-Atlantic region. “We are extremely excited for this opportunity – to be able to step outside of our stores and offer wider access to fresh food to District communities, like Southeast. We invite all to come out for the kick off and look forward to celebrating healthy eating and the St. Elizabeths East fresh food market for months to come.”
Whole Foods Market recognizes the need for improved access to healthy food across the country – which requires an “all of the above” approach. As such, area stores and facilities partner with a variety of community organizations working throughout the city, provide Whole Kids Foundation grants for salad bars and gardens to local schools and continue to look for new ways to engage with communities, like the St. Elizabeths East fresh food market.
“I applaud Whole Foods Market for its commitment to investing in the District and for recognizing the importance of the revitalization of St. Elizabeths,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “I’m gratified to see our friends at Whole Foods Market expanding their reach to the East end of the District and look forward to working with them on future projects.”
St. Elizabeths East fresh food market is part of the Gateway to Health initiative. The opening day celebration will feature performances, music and demonstrations to highlight the people and culture of the city. There will also be fun activities for all ages – families are encouraged to come out and join the festivities. The monthly markets are just one of the ways Whole Foods Market is engaging with Washingtonians and supporting many important principles from food to fitness to culture.
