AUSTIN, Texas (March 3, 2025) – Whole Foods Market has announced a major milestone in its Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program with the donation of its first-ever electric food rescue vehicle. This donation, made in the company’s hometown of Austin, marks a step forward in the program’s evolution—advancing both food access and sustainability.
Since launching in September 2020, the retailer’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program has provided 60 refrigerated vans to food rescue organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Now, with the introduction of the first E-Transit electric van, Whole Foods Market is reinforcing its commitment to reducing food waste, lowering emissions, and addressing food insecurity. Moving forward, all new vans donated through the program will be electric.
The inaugural E-Transit refrigerated van, equipped with a Level 2 charging station, was just donated to The Johnson Center, an Austin-based nonprofit that collects food donations from Whole Foods Market’s Lamar and Bee Cave stores to support families in need. Whole Foods Market has now donated two food rescue vans in the Austin and San Antonio area, with the first van provided to Keep Austin Fed in 2020. The grocer supports 18 food rescue partners—nine in Austin and nine in San Antonio through its Grocery Rescue program.
“With the increasing cost of food, nutritious meals can be hard to come by for many in our community,” said Kelly Barnhill, Clinical Director for The Johnson Center. “Whole Foods Market’s support helps us provide this invaluable resource to our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Located less than two miles from Whole Foods Market’s headquarters and flagship store, The Johnson Center is dedicated to advancing childhood development through community outreach, clinical care, research, and education. Its food recovery program plays a critical role in providing nutritious meals to children, families, and high-needs individuals, ensuring greater access to fresh, healthy food.
For more information about Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program, visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/community-giving/nourishing-our-neighborhoods/.
About Whole Foods Market
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
