Written by Joel Berg, Food-X Mentor & CEO, Hunger Free America
Today’s entrepreneurs use the word “disruptive” in practically every sentence. They are so proud, they proclaim, to overturn the status quo in everything they do. How ironic then, that so many of their charitable endeavors tend to be wedded to a broken status quo, the tech equivalent of typewriters or slates, giving to the “same ‘ole, same ‘ole organizations.” Sure, they may require the charities they fund to report detailed “metrics” or use snazzy new apps; but, in the end, their favorite charities usually perpetuate the failing establishment.
That’s why I challenge entrepreneurs to be as disruptive in their social change and charitable work as they are in their business models.
But before I push you too hard, let me say congratulations! You’ve worked hard to create your perfect job, you might say you are finally living your dream. So you think to yourself, “I want to give a little back to my community.” And working in the food world, you know that not everyone has enough to eat. So there you are thinking, how can I help feed people who are hungry?
Like many Americans, your first thought is probably to volunteer at a soup kitchen or food pantry, or support efforts that enable others to do so. Don’t get me wrong, these emergency food providers play an important role in alleviating short-term hunger. But you wouldn’t build a business that only produced short term returns, you’d probably want the biggest bang for your buck, right?
Fully 48 million Americans (a population bigger than California and Georgia combined) – including 15 million America children – live in households that struggle against hunger. Not only is this immoral, but this food deprivation also saps our economy of $167.5 billion per year. This is because hungry children can’t learn, hungry workers can’t be productive, and hungry seniors can’t stay independent. Hunger burdens our health system and our overall economy.
To end U.S. hunger, we need to think bigger and better.
So this is where strategic volunteerism plays an important role. What is strategic volunteerism? It’s helping a struggling family access SNAP (the new name for food stamps) benefits. It’s aiding a small food pantry with accounting, IT, graphic design, legal, or strategic planning assistance. It’s about raising funds for an anti-hunger advocacy organization. It’s about conducting community outreach to increase the number of hungry kids getting school breakfasts or summer meals. And it’s about contacting your elected officials to get them to raise the minimum wage or increase funding for safety net programs. Simply put, it’s the most impactful way to put a dent in hunger in your community and the country.
If you volunteer in a soup kitchen for a day, that’s great! But if you engage in strategic volunteerism, you can help many more people eat. We can help you find the opportunities in your city or town that best match with your skills and times available. Our web site and dedicated staff can walk you through what you need to do to find the right volunteer opportunity for you, and make the biggest difference you can. Ending hunger lifts us all. So, if you, personally, and others you work with, want to make the biggest difference, please go to HungerFreeAmerica.org and start today!
But beyond your personal time, as you consider strategic partnerships for your company, I hope you consider teaming up with truly cutting-edge nonprofits that also want to overturn the status quo by addressing the root causes of our nation’s most pressing problems like hunger.
Apply to Food-X at http://food-x.com/apply/
