Healthy foods bill could bring more grocery stores and farmers’ markets to East and West Oakland

By Brittany Schell | September 29, 2011 |
The California Healthy Food Financing Initiative could help bring produce stands and other sources of healthy food to under-served communities.

The California Healthy Food Financing Initiative (CHFFI) landed on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk last week, after the state Senate and Assembly both voted to approve it by a wide margin. If signed by the governor, the bill would help bring more grocery stores, farmers’ markets and other sources of produce to under-served communities throughout the state, including West and East Oakland.

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Whole Foods launches pilot Wellness Club in Oakland store

By Michelle Konstantinovsky | September 22, 2011 |
Lake Merritt shoppers can receive a 10 percent discount on healthy foods like produce if they sign up for Whole Foods' Wellness Club.

Starting this week, Whole Foods shoppers in Oakland can pick up nutrition and fitness tips to go with their groceries. The natural food retailer has just launched the Wellness Club—a program that offers classes, workshops, lectures and a 10 percent discount on food products that the program deems whole, unprocessed and healthy. Oakland’s Lake Merritt store is the only Whole Foods location on the West Coast to host the pilot program, which will operate in five sites throughout the country. The Dedham, Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois programs began earlier this summer while the New York City and Princeton, New Jersey pilots are set to launch this fall.

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