Why I Give

By definition, flying refers to moving through the air. But Wheels Up, a leading private aviation company, does so much more than that. 

It was during Lindsey’s military career that her support of hunger relief began. As a military member, she contributed to the Combined Federal Campaign—the workplace giving program of the U.S. federal government.

Raised by a schoolteacher and an entrepreneur, Neil comes from a tight-knit family filled with open hearts and endless seats at their kitchen table. As a child, Neil couldn’t personally relate to experiencing hunger, but he could recall having friends sleep over for weeks at a time because their living situations weren’t stable.

The last year has been an anomaly for the world. Since the inception of the pandemic many businesses have had to fundamentally change the way they operate. Graf Lantz, an online home and lifestyle accessories company founded by Holger Graf and Daniel Lantz, did just that. “Everything changes. Everything evolves,” said Daniel.

Last May, I was a confused high school senior filled with angst, forced to come-of-age in a brave new world nobody was ready for; today, I’ve shared over two thousand homemade meals with strangers and built a network empowering others to do the same.

For the last decade, Dr. Janet Vargo has been a generous supporter of Feeding America. She is a champion in the fight to end hunger. “We have so many resources in this country, there is no excuse for anyone to be hungry,” Dr. Vargo said.

Grifols, a global health care company, operates a network of plasma donation centers and supports hunger relief in various ways. “We recognized that the need for food donations didn’t go away after the holiday season and with the economic uncertainty surrounding the start of the pandemic, our teams wanted to support our local food networks as much as we could,” said Soriah Conner, a Center Manager.

Martin and Sue Schmitt, along with their daughters Jensen and India, want to help people. The family addresses social and human services issues in various ways. From the incredible task of starting an orphanage overseas to the use of social media to effect change within their own community, a thread of compassion weaves this family together, impacting people near and far for a greater good.

With 1.2 million people suffering from hunger in Los Angeles, 10 year old Lily Tyler (an LA native herself) is on a mission to raise awareness with others in her community.

Beloved Hall of Fame baseball star Cal Ripken Jr. spent 21 seasons in Major League Baseball playing for the Baltimore Orioles, including a record-setting 2,632 consecutive games. After his retirement in 2001, Cal and his family founded the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation in memory of his late father. Over the last 19 years, the foundation has served 1.5 million children in-need each year, providing safe places for them to learn and play.

Hunger impacts every community in America and, due to the pandemic, the need is expected to grow. Volunteer philanthropists Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava, leaders and founders of the Indian American HungerMitao movement, are helping to address this need – most recently by pledging $1 million to Feeding America.

Growing up, Chris Roberts worried about where his next meal would come from. “I was a child who depended on food banks growing up,” he said. “I know from personal experience how impactful they can be.”

"There is something about feeding people that is the most innate good we can do." Skya Nelson (Owner, Fed By Threads) takes lived experience and weaves it into the very fiber of the company, committing to providing meals for our neighbors in need throughout the country.

Vik Giri, founder of Gallant International—a tote bag and accessory company—strives to positively impact people’s lives. From growing up in Nepal to building his company to providing over 50,000 meals to neighbors in need, Vik tells the story of giving back whenever possible.

Whether sorting food at his local food bank, helping to serve meals for families in need or designating Feeding America in his estate plan, Steve’s hunger-relief efforts have both local and national impact.

Through Extra Helping, a new cookbook that feeds your body as well as your soul, Janet Reich Elsbach and Anna Brones team up to talk about food, its place in our lives and what it means to be stewards of humanity within our own community. For every copy sold, Roost Books will donate five meals to serve our neighbors in need.

To date, the Gupta family has provided the equivalent of more than 10 million meals to help people in need through the Tony Robbins 1 Billion Meals Challenge.

Jordan Appelbaum, a high school freshman, expresses thanks for what he has and shares his discovery of people struggling with hunger.

For each item that FBNW sells, we give a bag of groceries to a child in need in the U.S., which we personally distribute during our monthly at FBNW Food Drop events.

Now retired from his 30-year career in finance David continues to support hunger relief through financial donations and as co-chair of Feeding America’s emeritus board.

As part of the business plan at Andrea Crowder Fitness, the organization supports charities that make a difference, including Feeding America.

Giving back has always been a focus for Shady Rays — a small, independent company specializing in polarized sunglasses for active lifestyles.

The Frank L. Stile Foundation has donated the financial equivalent of nearly 2 million meals to the Feeding America network since the foundation’s inception in 2011.

For David, the days of hunger have been replaced with the hope that he can inspire others.

Since 2013, Bella Tunno’s Buy One Give One Initiative (B1G Initiative) helps alleviate childhood hunger in the United States.

For Sean Kelly, SnackNation’s co-founder and CEO, philanthropic giving is an integral part of the company’s culture and business model. To help people struggling with hunger, every SnackNation box shipped triggers the financial equivalent of an 11-meal donation to Feeding America.

For every item sold, the company donates proceeds to provide a meal to a person in need.

For over seven years, Tighe Merkert has been a generous supporter of Feeding America and has broadened the awareness on the issue of hunger among the employees of Marriner Marketing Communications in Columbia, Maryland.

After hearing Tony Robbins story of struggling with hunger in his youth, the McCrories were inspired to become donors, advocates and volunteers.

Melissa supports and advocates for hunger relief through her MJM jewelry boutiques.

Food security is so important. It’s one of the basic things people really need help with and we wanted to do our part to help meet that need.

Of all the incredible hunger-relief programs at Feeding America, child hunger programs particularly resonate with my family. Kids cannot thrive when they are hungry.