Whole Foods Market and its nonprofit arm, Whole Planet Foundation, have teamed up with TastingTable.com to empower the poor through microcredit loans.

Through March 31, Tasting Table will donate $2 to Whole Planet Foundations’ 2010 Prosperity Campaign for every new subscriber who signs up to receive its free daily epicurean emails at TastingTable.com/wholefoods. Current Tasting Table subscribers can also participate by inviting friends to join the table at tastingtable.com/wpf-invite.

“Tasting Table has partnered with Whole Foods Market’s Whole Planet Foundation to help us reach our campaign goal of raising $1.5 million to empower 40,000 people in developing world communities with the chance to change their own lives,” said Philip Sansone, Whole Planet Foundation’s president and executive director.

The partnership with Tasting Table is the first of its kind for the foundation’s annual Prosperity Campaign, a nationally driven fundraiser that invites Whole Foods customers to donate directly to the foundation at checkouts in stores across the country, or online at wholeplanetfoundation.org.

One hundred percent of customer donations will go directly to fund microlending projects, supporting the foundation’s mission to create economic partnerships with the poor in developing-world communities that supply the Austin, Texas-based natural and organic foods retailer’s stores with product.

To date, the foundation has funded over $10 million in microlending programs in 18 countries around the globe, positively affecting a total of 288,500 people worldwide.

“As devoted supporters of farm-to-table principles, our digital publication shares a commitment to conscientious consumerism,” said Tasting Table CEO Geoff Bartakovics. “Given these shared values, we’re proud to support the Prosperity Campaign by welcoming like-minded Whole Foods Market customers to our community of food and drink enthusiasts.”

As a celebration of this partnership, Tasting Table designed four exclusive recipes using Whole Foods’ Whole Trade Guarantee products, which are made by companies dedicated to ethical trade, quality, and the environment. Those who sign up or invite friends through this special campaign will receive the online recipes as well as Whole Foods coupons in some markets.