https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGnOkAFbAb8
No Kid Hungry
2022 Annual Report
Dear friends,
Every kid in America deserves the chance to reach their full potential. But far too many children face barriers like hunger and poverty, which can hinder a life full of promise.
When I joined Share Our Strength as CEO last fall, I chose to become part of this incredible organization for many reasons: the mission and the people; and in large part because it is an organization at an inflection point.
We have high aspirations for what is possible and are determined to think bigger and bolder about how we can make no kid hungry a reality. We know this next level of impact will require us to evolve in many ways; finding new ways of working together while continuing what anchors us.
We saw this play out last year as we celebrated important wins that are helping schools and community organizations continue to make sure children are well-nourished every day through the 2022-2023 school year. More recently, our advocacy work paid off with the passage of a new law that will help families buy food during the summer and provide school districts and community groups in rural areas more flexibility in delivering summer meals.
Some of the ways we made life better for kids this past year include:
- Providing more than $23 million in grants to schools and local organizations to help them provide food to children in their communities.
- Helping more families and children enroll in federal nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC through partnerships with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Human Services Association.
- Reaching Latino, immigrant and mixed status families with a bilingual SNAP awareness campaign led in partnership with the Latino civil rights and advocacy nonprofit, UnidosUS, and multiple Spanish media outlets.
- Reaching more families than ever with our Cooking Matters program by taking food skills education online, leveraging social media and shopping apps linked to nutritional benefit programs.
American families with lower and middle incomes are still facing economic challenges, such as rising food, transportation and housing costs due to inflation, and hunger continues to disproportionately affect some communities more than others. We still have more work to do to achieve our goals.
That’s why we’re putting more of your donations toward strengthening nutrition programs in underserved communities and communities of color. We’re also combatting inequity by addressing the root causes of poverty, including systemic racism and supporting families to become financially secure.
Share Our Strength has an incredible track record and has seen extraordinary growth over the last several years, but we are entering a new level of maturity – a phase of evolution that will require the collective efforts of our entire community. By working together, we know that ending childhood hunger in this country is possible. I’m excited for us to continue working with all of you – our donors, our partners and the children and families we serve – until we get there.
Sincerely,
Our new CEO explains why she joined Share Our Strength
Hear more from Anne and listen to the full podcast episode here.
Anne Filipic
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
of the annual report
Our Collective Impact
Millions of kids across the United States wake up every morning with big dreams. Thanks to your generous support and the community of heroes and partners on the ground, Share Our Strength and our No Kid Hungry campaign are helping children get the food they need to be their best, learn and achieve their goals.
Feeding Kids at School
When COVID-19 disrupted day-to-day operations for school cafeteria staff, No Kid Hungry transformed a generous outpouring of support from our donors into helping make sure kids continued receiving the meals they needed during a time of tremendous upheaval.
When the pandemic began to subside, but inflation caused food prices to climb, your support helped schools overcome the difficulties of supply chain issues, hiring enough staff and securing essential equipment to provide meals to children in all communities.
For example, with funding from No Kid Hungry, the Coalinga-Huron Unified School District in California was able to kickstart their ‘breakfast in the classroom’ program by purchasing essential equipment like meal carts. In just over a year, the number of students starting the day with breakfast has tripled.
In Palm Beach County, Florida, a No Kid Hungry grant helped Northmore Elementary and other schools purchase new coolers and equipment that helps kids access healthier choices for milk, fruit and vegetables.
Feeding Kids in Our Communities
The need for healthy meals doesn’t end with the school day or when summer begins. Thousands of summer and afterschool meals providers across the country work tirelessly to ensure kids get the meals they need.
“Through [No Kid Hungry’s] support, we have been able to not only provide great child nutrition meal services but extend those services,” said Jenny Arredondo, senior executive director of child nutrition for San Antonio Schools.
From schools and community organizations, corporations and health care agencies, to parents and caregivers, chefs and culinary professionals, policy makers and donors like you, this powerful community remains committed to ensuring kids get the healthy meals they need, 365 days a year.
Impact Highlights - July 2021 to June 2022
23
We sent $23 million to schools and communities working to feed kids.
749
No Kid Hungry grantees provided 749 million healthy meals to kids.
77
77% of grant funding went to communities of color; 39% went to rural communities (which also includes communities of color).
”Food helps me learn because food keeps me energized. It keeps me alive in the day. Always gonna need some food before I learn.
SerenityPalm Beach County, Florida
It Takes More Than Food to Fight Hunger
Together with our local partners and donors, No Kid Hungry helps children across the country get the healthy food they need. Hunger is an indicator of economic distress; we also know that it is intertwined with underlying causes that include low wages and barriers to affordable food access.
Here’s a short Q&A with Nefertiri Sickout, our senior vice president for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), with more about this topic.
Racism and inequality are problems, but what do they have to do with helping feed kids?
- Children in the United States aren’t going without food because there’s a food shortage. Not everyone in America has access to the same opportunities – rural communities, urban communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by food insecurity.
- Building a world that is just and equitable is necessary to end childhood hunger.
How can No Kid Hungry fix those things?
- Childhood hunger is still very real in this country – and that remains the focus of Share Our Strength – the nonprofit organization that runs the No Kid Hungry campaign.
- The children we are helping face many challenges. One way to make a difference is by aiding their families and their communities. Over the next few years, you’ll see our organization working on new programs that foster economic mobility, so families can think beyond today to a moment when they can provide everything their children need to be successful.
No Kid Hungry Partners With Pediatricians
The first five years of a child’s life are a period of rapid mental and physical development, and the lack of proper nutrients combined with the stress of not having enough food can have long-term consequences on children, including infants and babies. There’s a deep relationship between hunger and health, and our new partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is helping change how pediatricians address hunger.
With funding from No Kid Hungry, more pediatricians are screening children for food insecurity during wellness visits – and encouraging parents to enroll in nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
In 2021, thanks to support from donors like you, No Kid Hungry provided grants to AAP chapters in seven states. Last year we doubled the size of the partnership to chapters in 14 states, and we plan to offer training to all 67,000 AAP pediatricians by 2030.
”"Food insecurity occurs in every single county across this country,” said Dr. Kofi Essel, a pediatrician who has helped expand our work with young children. “The question is, do I want to see it and be able to do something about it, or not?"
SNAP: One of the Best Ways to Feed Kids
In the United States, 1 in 5 children relies on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to get the food they need. It’s one of the most effective programs we have for fighting childhood hunger.
But not every child who is eligible for SNAP benefits is getting them due to barriers and inequities in how these programs are implemented. A major focus of our work today is fixing that.
No Kid Hungry began dismantling some of these barriers through a first-of-its-kind partnership with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), providing grants and technical expertise to a cohort of six state and local agencies responsible for SNAP enrollment.
Here are some of the ways agencies spent the grants from No Kid Hungry.
- Benefit providers in New Jersey began matching data between SNAP recipients and recipients of the WIC program, resulting in an additional 2,200 people receiving SNAP benefits last year.
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina worked with members of the community to expand outreach, which led to an increase in family SNAP enrollment, including a 13% increase among children.
Impact Highlights - July 2021 to June 2022
958
958,000 families used our Cooking Matters food skills education to learn new ways to serve healthy, affordable meals.
145
Over the past year, we teamed up with local organizations working to feed children too young to go to school, helping them provide meals to 145,000 little kids.
Leave a Lasting Legacy to End Childhood Hunger
Throughout your life, there are moments when you pause to reflect on what you’ve achieved and what you hope to accomplish. You’ll think about the legacy you’ll leave behind and how it can embody your values.
You can make ending childhood hunger part of your legacy by designating a charitable gift to No Kid Hungry. You will ensure children for generations to come will get the meals they need to grow and thrive.
To learn more and access valuable planning resources, visit NoKidHungry.org/Legacy
Leveraging and Building Networks
Our work isn’t about always knowing the right answer, but about bringing together the right people. Read some of the stories of our work by clicking the buttons below.
- ENDING HUNGER WILL TAKE ALL OF US
- CHEFS AS CHAMPIONS
- HOW MAYORS ARE HELPING KIDS
- TALKING ABOUT FOOD JUSTICE
Ending childhood hunger isn’t a problem we can solve alone.
In addition to providing critical financial support, donors and community volunteer leaders like Regina Montoya are sharing their strengths to raise awareness about poverty and childhood hunger.
Montoya lives in Dallas, Texas, a city that has traditionally had a booming economy but still has a child poverty rate substantially greater than the national average. It was during her service on the Dallas Mayor’s Task Force on Poverty that she began to better understand the drivers behind these issues.
“Childhood hunger and poverty are systemic,” said Montoya. “If we were able to pull one lever that would eliminate poverty, we would all do that, but we need as many people as possible working on the root causes, which is why I support Share Our Strength and the No Kid Hungry campaign.”
Whether it’s improving education, jobs or underserved communities, Montoya wants every child in America to get the healthy meals they need to achieve their dreams.
Regina Montoya
Community Leader, Civic Volunteer and Attorney
Chefs like Erik Bruner-Yang amplify the work of Share Our Strength and the No Kid Hungry campaign by supporting our fundraising efforts, participating in advocacy work and building awareness of childhood hunger.
Bruner-Yang tells us, “They always say it takes a village to accomplish anything, and nothing could be truer than tackling childhood hunger. One of the reasons I have been a champion of Share Our Strength for so long is because of their long-term commitment, not only to their mission, but also their community.
“They recognize the power of working together for a shared cause. I trust the organization because of their consistency and quality of their program work and fundraising ventures.”
Share Our Strength partners with mayors to lead the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger – a bipartisan coalition of nearly 200 city leaders from across the country. Members of the coalition share what’s worked in their communities when it comes to feeding kids and advocate for more effective state and federal laws.
“No community goes untouched by food insecurity, and every mayor has a role to play in addressing childhood hunger,” said John Giles, mayor of Mesa, Arizona. “Mayors need to be chief food security officers in their communities.”
Since launching last year, the group has already met with federal officials to successfully push for stronger nutrition policies during the pandemic and advocated to protect the critical SNAP program that helps so many Americans feed their families.
Encourage your mayor to visit MayorsHungerAlliance.org and join this coalition of advocates and peers.
We know that childhood hunger doesn’t exist in isolation. That’s why Share Our Strength hosts a regular series called ‘Conversations on Food Justice’ where we challenge assumptions and discuss solutions to the root causes of hunger.
The series features a wide and diverse range of voices – including community leaders, policy makers, chefs, academics, educators, students and funders – and explores how food and food systems intersect with race, class, health and our environment.
Topics have included conversations on urban planning and food apartheid, access to social benefit programs and food justice in migrant farming communities. Each discussion is a live one-hour program (virtual or in person) that is free for the public to attend.
You can register for future conversations and check out our extensive archive of past sessions at ShareOurStrength.org/FoodJustice
‘Conversations on Food Justice’ is a joint project between Food & Society at the Aspen Institute and Share Our Strength – the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign.
Thanks to Our Corporate Partners
As the leading partner of the No Kid Hungry campaign, Citi has helped drive the fight to end childhood hunger in America. Citi has provided $30 million since the beginning of our sponsorship in 2014, which is enough to help provide 300 million meals. Citi has engaged their broad network throughout the year across campaigns like Dine and Do Good, Giving Tuesday, and the Citi Community Home Runs program with the New York Mets to raise crucial awareness and funds to support our work.
Through its dedicated Turn Up! Fight Hunger initiative, Warner Bros. Discovery inspired and mobilized audiences across its brands, including Food Network, HGTV, and TLC to support No Kid Hungry. Through theatrical releases like Shazam and top shows like the Jennifer Hudson Show, Brother vs. Brother, and Rock the Block, Turn Up! Fight Hunger raised awareness and drove critical donations from their employees, as well as consumers via text-to-donate campaigns. Since its launch in 2019, Turn Up! Fight Hunger has already helped No Kid Hungry connect kids to more than 1.4 billion meals.
A funder for over a decade, the Walmart Foundation has invested in programs that connect kids to meals across the country – especially in underserved and rural communities. Most recently, the Walmart Foundation supported the creation of the Healthy Food Community of Practice, a space for connection, learning, resource sharing and action with a goal: help people experiencing hunger – particularly those facing systemic barriers – access and consume healthy food.
A partner of No Kid Hungry since 2011, the Arby’s Foundation continues to step up in a significant way to support the millions of kids in America living with hunger. Through a combination of in-restaurant fundraising, innovative thought leadership, and employee engagement initiatives, the Arby’s Foundation continues to further our work in new and diverse ways. From sponsoring and riding in Chefs Cycle to supporting our summer meals strategy to STREAM for No Kid Hungry, the Arby's Foundation inspires new audiences to get connected to No Kid Hungry and continues to raise critical funds and awareness to have a meaningful impact on our mission.
College Youth Committed to Ending Childhood Hunger
Young adults have an important part to play in solving childhood hunger. Last summer, with your support, 41 college undergraduate students served as No Kid Hungry youth ambassadors, helping community groups and program providers address hunger in 27 states.
- In Cowarts, Alabama, our youth ambassador helped serve over 27,000 meals to kids and teens.
- In Detroit, Michigan, two youth ambassadors monitored 37 meal sites and served over 35,000 meals.
- In St. Louis, Missouri, our youth ambassador helped serve 966 families through the Summer Family Feeding Program, which included 3,918 individuals and 2,012 children.
Whether helping with a food recovery process at FareStart, a Seattle nonprofit that transforms hunger and poverty into human potential, or packing and handing out groceries at the Oregon Food Bank in Portland, each youth ambassador helped increase food access within their own communities.
Impact Highlights - July 2021 to June 2022
574
574,727 families used our Free Meals Finder services to find free meals for their kids during the summer and throughout the year.
”As a child, I understood what it meant to worry if our rent was paid, if the lights were on, and if there was going to be food on the table or to take home from school. These are not the things any child should be concerned with. I've reached a point in my life when I am able to fight for the kid that I once was.
Jason EzellNo Kid Hungry Youth Ambassador
Together, We'll Make No Kid Hungry a Reality
Until no child in America goes hungry, we have not kept our promise.
For years, we believed the programs we advocate and raise money for could permanently end the senseless tragedy of childhood hunger in the United States. During the worst of COVID-19, when we came together to provide a stronger safety net, we saw that belief proven. Childhood hunger rates stayed relatively low thanks to more funding for meals programs and for struggling families.
If we invest our money, time and political will in stronger and better programs to take care of children and families, no kid will go hungry.
But keeping that promise will require more than providing meals. That is why we are thinking of new ways to support families that go beyond the school and community meals programs. Efforts that will help lift families out of poverty and give them the stability they need to set their children on the path to a happy, healthy life.
We can’t thank you enough for the role you’ve already played. Your contributions in the past have made this work possible – but we know that there is so much for us to do in the years ahead.
There’s nothing more important we can do – together – than this.
Connecting People Who Care
Achieving real change takes a community - from donors to program providers to community leaders. We're thankful for all of you who are committed and generous members of that community.
Financials
Fiscal Year 2022
(July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022)
Every dollar donors contribute goes to the work of helping feed kids. Some of it goes directly to the programs at the core of our mission, while some goes to make that work possible through fundraising, advocacy and outreach.
Click our financials to expand the details.
NOTE: Although FY22 expenses exceed revenues, they reflect the strategic use of funding from our generous donors during the height of the pandemic; we continue to use those donations to fund meals programs and other work across the country. Use of these funds support Share Our Strength’s entire mission and are aligned with donor intent and any associated restrictions.
*The FY2021 figures differ somewhat from the ones in our previous annual report. We are now using audited financials, and these figures reflect those changes.
Community Wealth Partners
Community Wealth Partners is an independent consulting firm founded by Share Our Strength to help other nonprofits and foundations achieve their missions. Donations made to Share Our Strength and the No Kid Hungry campaign do not fund the work of Community Wealth Partners; their work is funded through fees from their clients.