Whole Foods Under Fire On Social Media For Providing Food To The National Guard In Baltimore
Whole Foods Market is finding itself facing some criticism, after their effort to help support some of the National Guard troops working in Baltimore was published on social media.
The controversy started when Whole Foods Market Harbor East published a photo on their Instagram, of several National Guard troops holding a grocery bag full of sandwiches. The caption below the photo read, “We teamed up with Whole Foods Market Mt. Washington to make sandwiches for the men and women keeping Baltimore safe. We are so thankful to have them here, and they’re pumped for turkey and cheese.”
Immediately the negative comments starting pouring in from several users, criticizing Whole Foods for feeding troops, when several school children from low-income families that are provided a free lunch, were made to stay home from school that day. Implying that children in Baltimore are going hungry because of the riots, and that maybe the organic food giant should be helping them instead.
One Twitter user wrote, “Dear @WholeFoods: The National Guard already has a supply system for food. The citizens of #Baltimore could probably use your help more.”
@AngryBlackLady wrote, “This is tone-deaf, especially when thousands of school kids in Baltimore need lunch, @WholeFoods.”#TWiBNation
@RaniaKhalek came at Whole Foods with some extremely harsh words, “As Baltimore’s poorest kids are left hungry due to school closure (no school lunch), @WholeFoods feeds the oppressor”
A spokesperson for Whole Foods made a statement to ABC News about the photo.
“We’re all Baltimoreans and have supported community organizations for many years to improve lives around our city. Currently, we are providing food and water to children across our city by partnering with rec centers and community organizations, and have been doing so in parallel with providing food and water to first responders.”
After a slew of negative comments made its way to the posting on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, Whole Foods Market responded by removing the photo from all three social media websites.
A spokesperson for the chain explained why.
“We removed the post because it did not accurately reflect all our local stores are doing to feed people across this city, especially children,” Whole Foods spokesperson Katie Malloy said. “Again, we love our community, and will continue to support our city in the days to come, as we always do, and extend our heartfelt sympathy to those affected.”
Regardless of the post being removed, some people on Twitter are trying to gain support in boycotting the company, with the hashtag #boycottwholefoods.
There were some positive messages applauding Whole Foods for supporting the citizen soldiers who left their families, and jobs to come and assist the people of Baltimore when they needed it the most. During these times of unrest in Baltimore, other acts of kindness from all over the city are also being displayed.
One of the most surprising acts of kindness that was displayed, was by gang members. The Inquisitr previously reported that members from the notorious Bloods and Crips gangs united to try to bring some peace to the community. Gang members put their differences aside, not to harm the police, but to show the community that coming together is a much better way of dealing with the situation, then the violence, setting fires and looting that has been going on the past few days.
[Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market]
