Whole Foods Donates Over $4,300 to Mālama Maui Nui

(Left to right) MMN Road Crew Stacy Panlasigui and Josh Bajadali; MMN Executive Director John P. de Jesus; Whole Foods Marketing Team Leader Elyse Ditzel; Whole Foods Associate Store Team Leader Christine Georgedes; MMN Community Relations Manager Jen Cox; MMN Volunteer Coordinator Lauren Kennedy; MMN Road Crew Cesar Jardon; MMN Operations Manager Gabrielle Schuerger. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market Kahului.

MMN Board Member Tova Callender, Road Crew Cesar Jardon and Community Relations Manager Jen Cox at Whole Foods Market on April 1 during the 5% Community Support Day. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market Kahului.

By Maui Now Staff

On April 1, 2015, Whole Foods Market partnered with Mālama Maui Nui (formerly known as Community Work Day Program) for a “5% Community Support Day.”

Several times each year, Whole Foods team members select a local nonprofit to sponsor with a donation of 5 percent of the store’s sales on a designated day.

“We are honored to support Mālama Maui Nui and like organizations that contribute to keeping Maui green and beautiful,” said Elyse Ditzel, Whole Foods Market Kahului marketing team leader. “Our customers care about supporting their community. Their commitment on April 1 has made it possible to donate just more than $4,300 dollars to Mālama Maui Nui.”

MMN Community Relations Manager Jen Cox speaks with a Whole Foods Market customer about MMN’s programs during the April 1 5% Community Support Day. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market Kahului.

Mālama Maui Nui’s mission is to empower the people of Maui County to preserve the beauty of the islands through litter prevention, recycling, and beautification programs and services.

MMN is starting to raise funds for a much-needed office technology upgrade that will improve the organization’s operation and program efficiencies. The improvements will be particularly help its road crew operations that focus on clearing illegal dumpsites, managing the used motor oil and household battery recycling programs, and providing operational assistance for cleanups and workdays with partner organizations across the county, in addition to MMN’s own volunteer-based events.

“We are truly grateful to Whole Foods Market for giving us this significant boost in financing our technology overhaul, ” said MMN Operations Manager Gabrielle Schuerger. “Once everything is in place, the new infrastructure will provide us immense benefits in cost effectiveness, and the adaptability and resilience of our systems. It will also allow us to share a variety of data–including images, video, and geospatial data–that best demonstrate the results of our work and the positive impacts on our environment and community.”

Since opening in February 2010, Whole Foods Market Kahului has partnered with more than 110 organizations, non-profits and schools.

Within the first three months of 2015, Mālama Maui Nui has facilitated 548 volunteers to dedicate approximately 1860 hours of service through community cleanups and workdays.

Upcoming volunteer events for Mālama Maui Nui include a cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon on May 30 (Waiehu), as well as cleanups on June 20 at Hoʻokipa Beach Park and July 18 at Kanahā Beach
Park from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information on Mālama Maui Nui or to get involved in these upcoming events, go online or call 877-2524.