FoodCrisis

Non-profit org Share Our Strength's three word mission says it all: No Kid Hungry. In college I read Share Our Strength founder Bill Shore's inspirational story about creating his organization amidst the existing models for successful giving back. It's called The Cathedral Within, and is highly recommended for anyone interested in how an entrepreneurial vision can mold public service. (Shore was an early adopter of strategic marketing partnerships with corporations that helped raise funds and awareness for childhood hunger.)

24 years later, Share Our Strength has raised over $200 million through high-profile events like Taste of the Nation, which draws support from many of the country's most exclusive restaurants.

In September, the organization wrapped up its inaugural Great American Dine Out event, sponsored by American Express. Participating restaurants from hard-to-snag reservations in Los Angeles to family-owned diners in Montana donated up to 5% of their sales over a week-long period.

The facts Share Our Strength tries to communicate are staggering -- a third of Americans served by food banks are under 18 years old; average food stamps provide only $1 per meal; this year more than 12 million American kids worried about going hungry. Seems we need Share Our Strength more than ever.