Several members of the Executive Management Team have joined the corporate initiative to end childhood hunger in Vermont.
The National Life Foundation took on the project in 2018 and CEO Mehran Assadi has expanded it into a corporate initiative.
The management team got an update this week on progress the Foundation has made so far.
Although all members of the executive team will participate, the session ended with Vesta Bovair, Achim Schwetlick and Jason Doiron joining the team that is focused on the issue.
They are in addition to Chris Graff, Beth Rusnock, David Soccodato, Ross Sneyd and Allison Steinmetz, who have already been spearheading the Foundation’s efforts.
The Foundation also has worked with an external steering committee that includes representatives from the Vermont Foodbank, Hunger Free Vermont, Children’s HealthWatch, the Vermont Community Foundation, and Let’s Grow Kids.
In the current budget year, the Foundation has invested more than $500,000 in hunger relief organizations.
The investments include a three-year pledge to the Vermont Foodbank’s capital campaign. The National Life donation was targeted toward transportation.
An Urban Institute report on childhood hunger in Vermont commissioned by the Foundation identified rural isolation and the need for mobile food services as two key issues.
The Foundation’s support for the Foodbank capital campaign will help pay for a new truck and loading dock to get more food out into the community.
Another internal group, known as the Employee Action Team or E.A.T., has also formed and is working on ways it can contribute to relieving childhood hunger across Vermont including the adoption of #DoGoodFeedKids which was rolled out at Do Good Fest.
Photo at top: The #DoGoodFeedKids display at the Do Good Fest was a popular part of the Nonprofit Village.