In the latest ‘Frontiers of Innovation’ interview, we talked to Rev. Kären Rasmussen about her work in alleviating childhood hunger by creatively connecting donors and communities.
Q: So you run a non-profit called No Child Goes Hungry, how did you come to be involved in that?
I’m a 20-year Navy veteran who heard the call to ministry a little later in life. As both a community and a parish minister, I find that using my passion for eliminating childhood hunger can build bridges between marginalized communities and those who want to help. It’s unbelievable isn’t it, that any child ever goes hungry in our country. But it happens every day, right in our cities, our neighborhood and on our very own streets. This passion led me to found No Child Goes Hungry with its unique business model of connecting those with resources to share and kids who don’t have enough to eat.
Q: Wait, so you’re alleviating childhood hunger without actually feeding any children yourself? How does that work?
The concept of No Child Goes Hungry is pretty simple. I do the fundraising on the front end, then I connect with locals looking to make a difference all over the country and help them find creative ways to feed the kids in need. One kid and one meal at a time. It’s that simple. And although the majority of the work I do is through these grants, I actually shop for and deliver food to schools right in my own community as well. It’s a spiritual discipline for me and a way to stay physically connected to the needs of those around me
Q: So how big is this program?
It’s grown over time. Before the pandemic, I gave out an average of 15 grants a year, which I thought was pretty good for a one-woman nonprofit. But in 2020, I gave out 71! This year, I’ve already given out 70 grants and will give out several more as the holidays approach. No Child Goes Hungry now works with people in 33 states if you can believe it.
Q: Wow, I bet that translates to thousands of meals! And this direct grant giving model sounds pretty unique in the UU world.
It is. This kind of business model, where I do the fundraising and give grants to UU congregations, has never been done quite like this before. I take the stress out of trying to create and fund a new program for cash-strapped congregations. You can see the relief on the both the ministers’ and the lay leaders’ faces when I say “I can give you a grant” and “I’ll help you figure out ways to feed kids in your neighborhood.”
Q: How have you seen grant recipients use the money you provide to them?
What has been a wonderful surprise is how many different ways people think of to feed kids in need. Weekend Backpack programs, PTA’s starting small food pantries, all kinds of food trucks and delivery initiatives or having a community refrigerator to store milk and baby food in are just some things people do in their communities. We are only limited by our imagination!
Q: How do you define success in this work, and how do you evaluate or measure that?
One of the most important things I need to remind myself, when I get overwhelmed by the amount of childhood hunger, is that every meal and every snack matters to a kid. In turn I remind others that success means one kid in need got something to eat today because of the work No Child Goes Hungry does. One kid fed will turn into another, and then another, and next thing you know you’ve fed hundreds, and then thousands.
I also keep all kinds of statistics and measurements in spreadsheets. Not only does keeping that up to date help during tax season, it assists with writing grants and preparing presentations. I keep pretty good statistics on the white board in my office that I can refer to quickly. I can tell you how many grants I’ve given, split them out by category and state, the amounts that were given-that kind of thing.
In terms of defining future success, I have an easy three-year rolling strategic plan that I created and update from time to time. It helps to review it and look for trends or simply pivot in another direction if I need to.
Q: So it sounds like a big part of this project is raising money, how have you been able to do that?
5 years ago, when I first became a 501c3, I started with a handful of donors and I also ran a Faithify campaign (a UU online giving platform). I’m a huge fan of Faithify for so many reasons, but one is that at the end of the fundraising for your project, you can download a list of your donors and build a donor network with. I send periodic, short newsletters out to those donors and keep building the list. I also received several “share the plate” donations from the congregations I’ve given grants to. That has been a huge help.
I also apply for grants or gift cards from all kinds of grocery stores to give to schools too. Honestly, I apply to all kinds of places for grants and financial help. I’ve had people surprise me with using Facebook for their birthday fundraisers and had it donated to No Child Goes Hungry and I’ve also had people enroll No Child Goes Hungry with their company match program. We are funded by a wide variety of sources now and I’m so grateful for that.
Q: Do you have any advice to share for others doing similar work?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to not undervalue social media. In the beginning, I didn’t use Facebook or Instagram to spread the news of No Child Goes Hungry and that was a big mistake on my part. I use social media so much more now and it really pays off both with spreading the good news of the work but also reaching people for donations. It has made a huge difference by effectively using these tools. Keeping an interesting and updated website is also helpful, people like to read the blog posts there and donate through the website.
Q: What has surprised you most in this work?
I think because I’ve been a hunger advocate for so many years now, I’m surprised when others don’t realize that there are kids in the school right down the street from them don’t have food, especially on the weekends. Sometimes there is a lack of awareness how close hunger is to us or we think it only happens in other neighborhoods. I do a bunch of education and awareness training as a part of my ministry.
Q: What final thoughts would you like to leave with readers?
What has really surprised me is how quickly people go from being overwhelmed at the volume of childhood hunger in the United States to seeing what an impact they can have when they reach out to their local school and offer to help. By helping people to make the connections and offering them seed money to start a school food pantry or build a Little Free Pantry, they can see such a fast and meaningful result.
If you are reading this and thinking “the problem is so huge, what can I possibly to do help?” then I’d encourage you to reach out to the school that’s closest to your home. Instead of passing by the school every day, simply reach out and ask, “What can I do to help?” Every small thing you do to help matters.
Q: Where can people go to learn more about, and support, your project?
Please check out the two sites I use to communicate updates about my work. Any donation would be gratefully received and put to good use.