Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Robert Egger Visits GaGLE

Last night our group hosted Robert Egger, the founder and President of DC Central Kitchen. He was an absolute experience. Passionate, intelligent, humorous, and decisive are a few words that come to mind.
He was definitely outside the box. He was very critical of the traditional models of combating hunger and of the entire non-profit sector. While he was a bit all over the place he raised a few specific points that were very memorable in my mind and I hope others will post some of their reactions as well.

He held up the fact that America's non-profit sector, on its own, is the 7th largest economy in the world. With that in mind, he questioned why it wasn't at the table with the major power brokers in America. In the for-profit sector companies with like interests come together and sit down with policy makers to advocate for their perspectives, but where are the councils of NGOs united around ending hunger, poverty, homelessness coming together and building a vision and a future without those problems? And why, he asked, does the non-profit sector, which is pursuing and creating the most wonderful things in America - education, art, social services, and faith - define itself by the one thing it doesn't pursue - profit...

He also strongly challenged the traditional soup kitchen/food pantry model of hunger relief. Explaning that marketers and retailers are working hard, and becoming more effective, at avoiding food waste and soon all those foods found in food pantries will dry up. Not only that, but the hungriest persons in America are single mothers who are scrambling around making sure their kids and their parents have food, and are neglecting themselves - and many of them are working all day and don't have time to make it to a food bank that is only open 9-5.

He boldly stated that DC Central Kitchen is the best show in town - noting its strategic food services. It identifies organizations that are serving the most overlooked segments of our population... Drug addicts, the mental ill, seniors, etc. and provides them with the entirety of their food needs so that they can scratch that huge line item off their budgets and they can focus on what they do best - treating addiction, counseling, and caring for their clients. He also held up the job training program and how it gives convicts, addicts, and the mentally ill an opportunity to accomplish something concrete and positive.

He also took us on a trip around the country and the world - encouraging us to always buy local and to offer up new visions and a new future, what he saw as our responsibility as young people. He was also very affirming of our giving circle, noting that most American's just cut a charity check without really investigating organizations and by engaging conscienciously in the process we have a much better chance of actually supporting an organization that is helping solve problems.

I had also volunteered early last week at the DC Central Kitchen and so it was very interesting to speak with the man who got that started. Volunteering at the Central Kitchen is easy and it is a great atmosphere filled with purpose, learning and enthusiasm - I highly recommend it!

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