HADLEY — In a show of support for local urban farming efforts, Whole Foods Market in Hadley will donate 5 percent of its sales Tuesday to Gardening the Community, a food justice organization in Springfield, and Nuestras Raices, a grassroots urban agriculture group in Holyoke.
Staff and volunteers from the two organizations will be at the store from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
Gardening the Community, which started in 2002, runs a youth leadership program that trains young people to grow fruits and vegetables on revitalized vacant lots and operates neighborhood farm stands.
“Gardening The Community is very grateful for the generosity of local organizations like Whole Foods Market, which have a big impact in contributing to our growth,” Gabriella della Croce from Gardening the Community said in a statement.
Nuestras Raices, launched in 1992 by a group of migrating farmers from Puerto Rico, runs community gardens and environmental programs, including an initiative directed at inner-city youth.
“Nuestras Raices is a proud supporter of Whole Foods Market and our shared mission toward healthy, fresh food for all,” Nuestras Raices Executive Director Hilda Roque said in a statement. “We are the largest grower of Latino cultural crops in the region and Whole Foods Market’s support of our work makes a real difference in our community.”
Stephanie McFeeters can be reached at smcfeeters@gazettenet.com.