This year, Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign is celebrating its 40th year anniversary. From its origins in a small row house in DC, the organization has worked for an equitable world where all children, families, and communities have what they need to thrive.
The incredible achievements of the last 40 years would not be possible without longtime partners who have shown a lasting commitment to our mission.
Since the beginning of the No Kid Hungry campaign, our work has been powered in large part by the creativity and commitment of our corporate partners. Corporate partners are woven into the fabric of No Kid Hungry and have been a part of some of our most successful campaigns to raise critical funds and awareness to end childhood hunger. But few of our corporate partners have the legacy of commitment as Sysco, a global foodservice distributor.
Today, we highlight and celebrate 25 years of partnerships with Sysco. This partnership goes beyond the important donations to our mission; Sysco has also shared their strengths to our culinary fundraising efforts and our program partners on the ground who are doing the work of feeding kids every day.
Since the partnership began in 2000, Sysco has donated over $9 million in funds and contributed beyond that in the form of supplies, expertise, and time.
“Sysco is proud to be a long-standing partner of Share our Strength. Over the years, Sysco has contributed products, funds, and volunteers to support No Kid Hungry Events, impacting the lives of kids nationwide. This partnership demonstrates Sysco’s purpose of connecting the world to share food and care for one another,” says Neil Russell, Sysco’s chief administrative officer.
Lending a Hand for Big Impact
Even before the creation of the No Kid Hungry campaign, Share Our Strength raised funds through Taste of the Nation events, bringing together 40-60 chefs to highlight their most beloved dishes to up to 1,200 guests while raising money to end hunger. Sysco has been part of these events from early on.
Of course an event of that size and caliber requires expert vendors and donors to help make it a success, and Sysco has been integral to Taste of the Nation since the 1990s.
Sysco became the co-presenting sponsor of Taste of the Nation in 2014 and continued engaging colleagues through leadership opportunities to help plan the details in the months leading up to the event and gathering colleagues to help chefs get to where they need to be on the big day. Sysco has also historically played a critical role by donating compostable disposables, making the events as environmentally friendly as possible and allowing us to save budget in favor of raising the most funds possible.
With sites and warehouses across the country coming out to support Taste of the Nation, each event also had its own flare with Sysco in Chicago providing light bites to hungry chefs as they worked hard to set up the event, or in Atlanta where Sysco provided a “pantry” behind the scenes with ingredients, materials, and tools that chef may have forgotten at their restaurants. Their customizable support varies across the nation.
Pandemic Shortages
Sysco’s expertise and support also came to light during the coronavirus pandemic. At a moment of crisis, Sysco stepped up and offered resources to help schools, food banks and other No Kid Hungry partners navigate feeding programs that were completely upended.
Sysco’s expertise in packaging, storage, to-go options, refrigeration and more proved very useful. Local Sysco site representatives were always more than willing to help troubleshoot and lend assistance going well above and beyond their regular jobs.
Sysco Corporation also engaged in a month-long social media campaign, Take Out To Give Back, which encouraged people to order food to-go in support of local restaurants and businesses struggling during the shutdown. For each social post using the hashtag #takeouttogiveback and #nokidhungry Sysco donated 50 cents, up to $150,000, to No Kid Hungry.
The Future of Partnership - What Comes Next
One of the biggest ways Sysco is showing up for kids now and in the immediate future is through their incredible matching program. When you sign up to give a monthly gift to No Kid Hungry, Sysco will match your first gift until they reach $100,000 so your dollars go twice as far in helping kids get the meals they need to thrive!
Their unwavering commitment to helping kids and families in the face of changes in business and in the world over the course of decades, have resulted in a long-lasting and successful relationship with No Kid Hungry. They are one of the longest lasting active partnerships we have with a corporate brand, and through the evolution of that partnership they have gone above and beyond to support our mission. In the end, it’s this work that Sysco does best - connecting the world to share food and care for one another.
Together, we can end childhood hunger
Childhood hunger is a problem we know how to solve. Partners like Sysco are essential to help us achieve this goal. We can only express gratitude for their commitment and for 25 years of partnership.
