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HEALTHY FOOD OR A HOSPITAL VISIT? HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA May 17, 2017

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Could we end the debate about health care by focusing on healthy food? What will it take for our country to address the root of our health problems? In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, two experts who improve health from very different perspectives chat with Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore about the role of healthy lifestyle choices on our nation’s health. Randy Oostra is President and CEO of Promedica, a mission-driven, not-for-profit, nationally distinguished health care system serving northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Promedica has initiatives outside health care settings that aim to keep people from needing health care services. Rocco DiSpirito is a James Beard award winning chef, health advocate, coach and author of 12 cookbooks that illustrate how healthy and delicious are not mutually exclusive. Rocco has personally coached, advised and fed thousands of clients who want to lose weight and be healthy. Both experts believe that prevention is more effective that treatment, and both have seen many examples of this in their own work. Randy talks about a grocery store Promedica worked to build in a food desert which offers everything from job training to financial counseling to healthy cooking classes and is changing lives in that community. Rocco speaks of the “mass awakening” among consumers and chefs regarding healthier food and lifestyles, and how food providers have had to be responsive to these needs. “Most people want to make a good choice,” he says. “It’s up to us to provide them with an endless amount of good choices.” Randy feels that our nation’s health care model is fundamentally wrong and that we need to take a decades-long view when we consider how to fix it. “We have been tweaking a model that doesn’t work. …If we could go back and change [how Medicare and Medicaid were structured in the 1960s], we would shift the balance toward primary care and mental health services… The fact that we don’t provide a base level of coverage to every American doesn’t make any sense.” He believes we need to start now to change the system into what we want it to be in 20 years. However, this will continue to be tremendously difficult due to the many diverse stakeholders in the economic engine of our health care system. How do your own choices impact your health? Listen to how these leaders have seen people change their lives and their futures by making healthier choices. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CUTTING THROUGH POLITICS: THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE May 10, 2017

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What can we do when politicians prefer polarizing rhetoric to concrete action? We can roll up our sleeves and serve those who need help. Meaningful service can be the antidote to disappointing political paralysis. In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, two longtime leaders in service, Michael Brown of City Year and Boston chef Jason Santos (Buttermilk and Bourbon) talk with host and Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore about why it is so important to ‘turn on your social justice nerve’ and ‘flex your service muscle.’ Michael founded City Year in 1988 in Boston and grew it to a national service program of 3,100 18-25 year olds improving academic performance in high-poverty, poor performing schools in 28 cities. “Service is part of the American spirit… it is at the very heart of how we perceive ourselves as a nation,“ he declares. Jason began volunteering with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign more than 20 years ago as a very young chef, and since then has taught many Cooking Matters courses, been inducted into the Cooking Matters Hall of Fame, and raised an impressive amount of money for the campaign. “I have to do my part to help fix something that, in 2017, still blows me away that it’s such a problem,” he says. Listen to how these leaders use service to cut through politics and give themselves and others the gratifying experience of serving others. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BOBBLEHEAD SYNDROME: HOLD POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE May 03, 2017

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What do we do with politicians that ‘bob their heads up and down’ and then do not support children? How do we hold them accountable for the promises they make? Mark Shriver, President of the Save The Children Action Network, and DC legend Chef Geoff join host Billy Shore on a powerful episode of Add Passion and Stir to discuss how to get politicians to pay attention to social justice for kids. Mark says that “democracy is a contact sport” and urges powerful groups to put pressure on politicians because only big campaign contributors seem to get their voices heard – and kids don’t make campaign contributions. “Politicians tell you that kids are the most important resource in the world… but when push comes to shove, kids don’t get the investments they deserve,” he states. Chef Geoff shares how direct impact work being done in communities and real life stories of community members can convince political leaders that action is needed. Listen for their advice on how you can stop special interests from controlling political decisions, and how you can help give a voice to the voiceless. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS Apr 26, 2017

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Can you harness entrepreneurial skills like openness, flexibility and “prepared awareness” to get involved in issues that matter to you? Jean Case of The Case Foundation and entrepreneur Trenor Williams, founder & CEO at Socially Determined, believe we can. On this week’s episode of Add Passion and Stir, Jean and Trenor chat with Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore about how individuals, start-up businesses and even government are innovating to find creative ways to solve big problems. Jean shares lessons from her experience with tech giant AOL in its early stages and as a philanthropist funding innovation and cross-sector collaboration. Trenor explains how he used his medical training as a catalyst for creating companies that creatively solve health care problems, including Clinovations and Socially Determined. They have found that entrepreneurs come from all walks of life, and often people who have lived problems are in the best position to solve them. What problems have you faced in your life and what will be your role in creating solutions? Listen to hear how you can use your unique strengths to get involved. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET TO FIX OUR BROKEN FOOD SYSTEM Apr 19, 2017

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We have everything we need to feed every mouth in America, but we do not. Why is policy in the way of a healthy, equitable food system? Add Passion and Stir guests Eric Kessler of Arabella Advisors and Victor Albisu of Del Campo restaurant in DC sit down with Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore to explain what we can do to change this unacceptable inequality in our vast American food system. “Food access is one of the simplest things to fix in this country, and yet it’s become one of the most intractable political issues,” says Eric. Policymakers are lagging behind what Americans want and need. So what can each of us do? We can vote both with ballots AND with our wallets. The choices you make, the foods you buy, the restaurants you patronize all make our food system better or worse and lead to overall systems change. Listen to hear about how to vote with your wallet. Listen and Learn: · Why the U.S. food system is a social justice issue · How to address food waste · How to effect systems change Resources and Mentions: · No Kid Hungry: (nokidhungry.org): Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. · Arabella Advisors (arabellaadvisors.com): Arabella is a team of passionate problem solvers dedicated to helping clients make a difference on the issues that matter most to them. · James Beard Foundation Chefs Boot Camp (jamesbeard.org/education/bootcamp): The Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change provides an opportunity for civically and politically minded chefs to become more effective leaders for food-system change. · Del Campo (delcampodc.com): The lifestyle and food culture celebrated on an estancia, a large South American vineyard estate, is the inspiration for Victor Albisu’s flagship restaurant in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The airy, 174-seat agrarian space is home to a meat-driven, wine-centric menu that is a product of Albisu’s Latin American roots and travels throughout Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Fire Has Been Lit: Activating for Social Justice Apr 11, 2017

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Americans everywhere are asking whether values like equality and upward mobility are being advanced or set back by President Trump’s proposed budget cuts. In this time of heated debate, Add Passion and Stir guests Chef Matt Jennings of Townsman in Boston and William Foster of The Bridgespan Group share their expertise on how we can activate the sense of urgency many of us feel right now. These two leaders chat with Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore about how they and others are leading change right now during this ‘scary time’ for social justice. Chef Matt notes that “A fire has been lit… and it’s burning hotter and brighter than ever before,” and William believes that “threats and challenges can bring out greatness.” Chef Matt describes the work he is doing connecting with his restaurant guests, the broader community, and his own employees to ensure everyone has access to food and a fair standard of living. William outlines how he is helping both philanthropists and social justice nonprofits see the opportunities to drive transformative change in this unsettled time. Be inspired by how these industries are rallying to make it better. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bearing Witness Apr 05, 2017

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In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, three chefs from three U.S. cities share the revelations they had while bearing witness to hunger and poverty in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia. Chefs John Currence (Oxford, MS - City Grocery, Big Bad Breakfast), Sarah Grueneberg (Chicago, IL - Monteverde) and Matt McClure (Bentonville, AR – The Hive) sit down with Share Our Strength Associate Director of Field Management Jillien Meier and founder and CEO Billy Shore to reflect on the tour they had of schools and communities seeing the effects of hunger and poverty. These social activist chefs explain why they feel a responsibility to use their platforms to help feed needy families in their communities – and their voices to demand better systems and policies for all families. Spending time with the No Kid Hungry Virginia Campaign further inspired them to keep driving change in their communities and beyond. As John Currence says, “We have the tools. We know that the money is there to do it. There’s absolutely no reason in the world that we should have a kid in this country that goes without breakfast in the morning.” Hear about the motivation they get from their “giving profession” and learn how you too can bear witness and make change. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Be The Change: Resist the Status Quo Mar 29, 2017

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In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award winning chef Nora Pouillon and Martha’s Table President and CEO Patty Stonesifer have an inspiring conversation with Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore about being the change you want to see in the world. Both women identified problems that needed solving – Nora saw America’s unhealthful food supply and Patty saw low income families not having adequate opportunity – and tackled these problems with their own skills, experience and conviction. Nora took her European perspective and desire to feed her family and restaurant guests healthful food and opened America’s first certified organic restaurant. Patty leveraged her expertise as a technology executive (Microsoft and Amazon) and foundation builder (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) to better serve families and communities in Washington, DC with education and food. These pioneering women use both their heads and their hearts to make change in their communities. Hear their uplifting, energizing stories and get motivated to become a better social activist. Listen and Learn: • The health benefits of organic food • How corporate skills can be an advantage in social activism • How to persevere through adversity to achieve transformative change Resources and Mentions: • No Kid Hungry (nokidhungry.org): Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. • Martha’s Table • James Beard Foundation See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Living on $2 a Day: Poverty and Food Equity in America Mar 22, 2017

Show notes

In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, sociologist, poverty expert and author Kathy Edin ($2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America) and Washington, DC area social entrepreneur Tom McDougall of 4P Foods have a powerful and timely discussion with Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore about poverty in America. Kathy and Tom illustrate how our current systems - political, social, economic, geographic - keep poor people from succeeding. They argue for more equity in our social programs and a more dignified way of serving the poor. Kathy shares stunning statistics and touching anecdotes of the impoverished families with whom she has worked. When she asked one young girl what it was like to be hungry, her response was, "It feels like you want to be dead, because it’s peaceful when you’re dead." Tom believes, "We can't talk about fixing the food system unless we talk about money and politics... subsidies... institutional racism... the history of farming. … If we move the needle just a tad on food equity, it means we're moving a lot of other needles along the way." In Kathy’s work, she found that, "When it comes down to it, what people seem to want more than anything else is dignity. ... but a lot of our social policies deny people that.” Hear their recommendations on what we can do as individuals and as a nation to improve these dire circumstances for the poor in America. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Success Begins Early: The Power of Sacrificial Giving Mar 15, 2017

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In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, Washington, DC Chef Tim Ma (Kyirisan) and Nurse-Family Partnership’s CEO Roxane White talk with Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore and Share Our Strength's Managing Director of Development, Elliott Gaskins about why they “give back.” Chef Tim and Roxane share their poignant personal stories of how their pasts shaped the people they are today and inspired them to work with vulnerable populations like low-income pregnant women, ex-offenders and homeless people. Roxane describes that nutrition is critical for expectant mothers and young babies, saying “If we lose the first two years of brain development, we never recover.” Listen to their discussion on how we can help one another survive poverty, hunger and bad circumstances. Listen and Learn: · How prenatal nutrition and health has lifelong implications, even regarding criminal activity · How social programs can create a sense of pride and not shame · How everyone can give back, whatever their personal circumstances Resources and Mentions: · No Kid Hungry (nokidhungry.org) Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. · Nurse-Family Partnership (www.nursefamilypartnership.org, 844-NFP-MOMS), a maternal and early childhood health program, fosters long-term success for first-time moms, their babies and society. · DC Central Kitchen (dccentralkitchen.org) develops innovative social ventures that break the cycle of hunger and poverty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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