In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day is a time dedicated to honoring the achievements of women throughout history and all over the world. Women have continued to make strides in breaking the glass ceiling in every aspect of their lives throughout time. Move for Hunger would like to highlight some of the amazing women in our network who rose to the top and use their power to fight food insecurity.
Regina Northouse has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 10 years, committed to social justice issues because she believes this is the sector that she can make the biggest difference and that people are the engines of positive change.
Since joining the Food Recovery Network in 2015, she has helped expand the reach and impact of the organization. The Food Recovery Network fights food waste and hunger at colleges and universities. So far, they’re in 140 campuses across the U.S.
Over the past several years Move For Hunger has partnered with the Food Recovery Network for several different college move-out food drives. "I love teaming up with Move For Hunger!" said Regina. "Our students had an opportunity to host events on their campus to collect way more food than their cars alone could transport, and like Food Recovery Network, the amazing volunteer drivers of Move For Hunger are on the ground in their communitites, giving their time to help feed those in need in their communtiies. Recovering food doesn't have to be complicated, we just need people who care and MFH understands that."
"Hunger is solvable. Food Recovery Network has a unique contribution to make to end hunger, and we need other partners like Move For Hunger to close the gap on hunger and to irradicate it forever. I hope that I can inspire young women and girls and individals who identify as women to see themselves in this work. That's how I got involved: one eye opening moment at a time and I was welcomed to do more and more."
Cindy Clare is a recognized leader within the multifamily industry and a sought-after speaker on a variety of topics at national conferences. In 2011, she was named as one of The Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business”, and in 2015, she was honored as one of the “10 Most Influential Women in Real Estate” by Multi-Family Executive. Cindy is also one of Move for Hungers Board Members.
As Bell Partners’ Chief Operating Officer, Cindy oversees the operations of over 60,000 apartment homes in more than 159 apartment communities across the nation. Over the past several years, many of them have joined Move For Hunger’s multi-family program and have collected food for their local food bank through food drives and donating food when residents move out. All-Time, Bell Partners has helped recover almost 10,000 lbs of food to those in need with Move For Hunger.
Tracy Denora has worked in the moving industry since growing up in her family’s moving company, then she learned the business from the bottom up to sales and into the administration offices. She tried to get away by exploring other career opportunities after college, but in 2003, she decided to return to the business she knew well.
Tracy is also thrilled to be a part of the Move for Hunger network. “Move for Hunger is an amazing organization helping feed thousands of families each month. I enjoy seeing all the mover’s food collection totals each month. A little friendly competition is good and sheds some good light on moving companies,” she said.
“I am certainly enjoying seeing more women climb the ladder and seeing all the new women-owned moving company’s form,” she said. According to Denora, NJWMA started a Women Moving Women group in January. Their goal is to have a statewide food and blood drive in November.
Very few women have the storied career of Kim Guadagno. Before joining Fulfill, a food bank in New Jersey, she was the state’s Lieutenant Governor from 2010 to 2018 where she witnessed first-hand the significant impact food insecurity has on communities.
Guadango was humble when she stepped into the role as CEO. “As Fulfill’s CEO, I plan to bring a voice to the growing number of our neighbors who do not know where their next meal will come from,” said Guadagno. “Over the next few months, I hope to reach every corner of Monmouth and Ocean Counties to raise awareness of the problem of hunger in our own backyard and to raise awareness of the services Fulfill provides to try to solve the problem. No child should ever go to bed not knowing where his or her next meal will come from. No parent should ever struggle to put food on their table.”
Since Move For Hunger is also located in New Jersey, Fulfill was one of the first food banks we began to work with. Over the years we have transported roughly 300,000 lbs fod food to the food bank. Kim says, “Move for Hunger works selflessly to be sure food gets to people who need it the most. At Fulfill, we could not meet the surge in demand at the Jersey Shore without partners like you.”
Very few women have the storied career of Kim Guadagno. Before joining Fulfill, a food bank in New Jersey, she was the state’s Lieutenant Governor from 2010 to 2018 where she witnessed first-hand the significant impact food insecurity has on communities.
Guadango was humble when she stepped into the role as CEO. “As Fulfill’s CEO, I plan to bring a voice to the growing number of our neighbors who do not know where their next meal will come from,” said Guadagno. “Over the next few months, I hope to reach every corner of Monmouth and Ocean Counties to raise awareness of the problem of hunger in our own backyard and to raise awareness of the services Fulfill provides to try to solve the problem. No child should ever go to bed not knowing where his or her next meal will come from. No parent should ever struggle to put food on their table.”
Since Move For Hunger is also located in New Jersey, Fulfill was one of the first food banks we began to work with. Over the years we have transported roughly 300,000 lbs fod food to the food bank. Kim says, “Move for Hunger works selflessly to be sure food gets to people who need it the most. At Fulfill, we could not meet the surge in demand at the Jersey Shore without partners like you.”
Roxanne Moore has been with Sodexo, a leader in food services since 2007, but in 2019, she took over as Executive Director of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to end childhood hunger. She also is a former administrator of the USDA Child Nutrition Programs for both the Maryland State Department of Education and the Army.
Moore believes access to healthy food is critical in the growth and development of children and their opportunity to engage in the education system. Moore has created and produced more than 50 educational videos on healthy eating, sports nutrition, kids cooking, and STEM education. The Partnership for a Healthier America recognized Moore’s initiative to serve 17 million more breakfast meals to eligible students as well as a collaborative program with Cornell University Food & Brand Lab to implement behavioral economic techniques in 3,700 Sodexo school sites to maximize healthy food consumptions and reduce food waste.
Since Roxanne took the lead of the Stop Hunger Foundation, she’s partnered with Move For Hunger and the foundation has granted $20,000 in 2019 and $50,000 in 2020. They’ve also donated literal truckloads worth of food. Last year, they partnered with Nelson Westerberg of Illinois to donate 139 pallets of food (161,000 pounds of food; 134,000 meals) to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
On top of that, Roxanne coordinated a Front Porch Food Drive in her neighborhood which collected 4,500 lbs (3,800 meals) of food to the local food banks in her area.
In 2010, Ridgewood Moving joined the Move for Hunger network as a partner. Elected in 2016, Cindy Myer earned the role of President of Ridgewood Moving and became the first woman on their board. In 2014, Myer was named one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and she was selected as one of the 2017 Women's History Month Honorees. Myer donates her firm's trucks and materials to various different shelters, food banks, hospitals, and other charitable organizations throughout Bergen County.
Ridgewood Moving has helped transport thousands of pounds worth of food to local food banks. Just last year, they stepped up at the height of the pandemic to deliver 10,000 pounds worth of food from manufacturer Go-Go-Squeeze to local facilities in New York.
Michelle Orge joined the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin with more than 20 years of including two previous stops at other Feeding America food banks.
With a lifetime of dedicated service to food insecurity, Orge believes food is a basic human right and that hunger makes everything harder. “Health, success in school, at work, and in life – these aren’t possible without food security. Lives can be changed with food and that motivates me to keep working hard,” said Orge. “Food banking has a good combination of operations (moving food) and strategy (figuring out where the food should go).”
According to Orge, the operational side of this type of work can often lean towards more men taking leadership roles while the programs and administrative side might have more women. “I’ve been proud to represent leadership roles in both operations and administration and I hope that it leads other women to value their experience in multiple paths to leadership roles.”
Over the years, Move For Hunger has delivered about 60,000 lbs (50,000 meals) of food through various donations and food drives in and around Madison, Wisconsin.
Before joining Goodman Real Estate (GRE), Audrey Riddle worked for the Catholic Housing Services managing an apartment building for low-income working families and families coming out of homelessness. Audrey Riddle joined Goodman Real Estate in 2018 because they align with her personal mission and belief system.
“What drew me to GRE was their Mission, Vision & Values and their desire to make an IMPACT in the community, while still being a for-profit company,” said Riddle. “At GRE, we have five areas we focus on with our IMPACT program. One of them is supporting organizations and causes that provide relief in times of need. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, food insecurity has drastically increased and I am thrilled to also participate on the CARES Committee to further this work.” She also greatly admires GRE’s partnership with Move for Hunger, stating it is no more than a simple ask that team members and residents take initiative to make a difference.
Audrey believes being a female leader in the industry is groundbreaking. “As a woman, not only does representation matter but being part of a work culture that is centered around all team members and customers being both valued and respected is important,” she said. Audrey is thankful for her supportive colleagues and leaders and is grateful to be part of a group that is working towards building an equitable workforce and industry.
Over the past few years, Goodman Real Estate has supported Move For Hunger and has helped provide 25,000 meals to those in need.
Despite the tireless effort of these amazing women, there is still so much more left to do. Women are still facing at a disproportionate rate. Learn more about what factors are causing the gender disparity in the hunger crisis. There is always more to do. Take action by starting your own food drive, volunteering, or fundraising! Together, we can take on the the fight to reduce food insecurity.
