Break the Model! How Challenging Status Quo Makes Lasting Impact
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I want to share the amazing work of Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio*. They are the epitome of how to create an amazing strategic plan that achieves their mission and vision in innovative ways will (hopefully) make them no longer needed. This is not about virtue signaling, but rather my admiration and respect for their foresightful planning, impact, and gratitude for their CEO, Julie Chase-Morefield and team.
Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) started as a small local food bank serving four rural counties west of Cleveland, Ohio, and is now THE community convener for sustainable ways to reduce hunger. Their mission "Grow hope in our region by creating pathways to nutritious food," and vision of "A brighter future for all by cultivating a healthy, hunger-free community" are being achieved because SHFB doesn’t think like a traditional food bank.
Unlike most food banks that focus on the needs of the organizations that distribute the food (food pantries), SHFB focuses on the needs, constraints, and daily contexts of actual community members who need food. They treat ALL community members with dignity and respect, without judgment or prejudice, because every human deserves dignity.
SHFB has piloted and validated innovative food distribution models, such as putting pantries in local public schools - a huge success. Kids take food home to their family for dinner and weekends, reducing hunger. When COVID hit, SHFB deployed mobile pantries, serving up to 30,000 households a month. The demand for mobile pantries still continues, with 10 to 12 distributions a month even now.
SHFB has several initiatives underway to sustainably reduce hunger, such as partnering with social, health, legal, housing, job, government, and education organizations in creating a downtown HUB in Sandusky, OH and piloting SNAP Outreach 2.0 to raise awareness and support the completion of applications in their region. They have established a county-wide Food Advisory Council with Lorain, OH, to increase access to and consumption of healthy food via a "Food as Medicine" platform with healthcare providers while increasing economic development through urban farm and retail expansion (aided by a USDA grant).
Despite a 40% increase in the need for food, increases in the cost of food and cuts in funding, SHFB remains optimistic that their initiatives will sustainably reduce food insecurity in their region. They’ve already started and made an impact. I have no doubt they will significantly increase food security - and the well-being and futures of those they serve. So, please click the links, look at their plan, learn from how they leverage the strengths of others in creating their initiatives. There is so much to learn! Don’t lose the opportunity!
*Yes, SHFB is a client, but it’s not clear who really benefits as I have learned so much from working with them and am such a better person for it. Yes, I am in the video (ugh!) – and it’s all true – SHFB is a superb organization with excellent leadership. No, you can’t hire them away, but yes, they are hiring - go work for them!
