Making a Difference Award honoree Chip Paillex, founder and president of America’s Grow a Row, began by donating 300,000 pounds of fresh produce to New Jersey food pantries. Today, the organization supplies more than four million pounds of donated produce across 22 states.
As the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Awards program enters its 30th and final year, Foundation CEO Idana Goldberg shares in Candid's “Insights” what everyday changemakers can teach philanthropy.
Key suggestions include:
Trusting community wisdom to surface everyday changemakers — By soliciting nominations from the public and charging a committee of social sector experts with selecting honorees, MADA has consistently surfaced leaders who might never appear on a traditional funder’s radar.
Taking a leap of faith — The qualities of these unsung heroes that make it worth the risk—humility, tenacity, and intimate local knowledge — are not always apparent in grant applications.
Honoring lived experience and local leadership — Honorees have tackled entrenched problems by drawing on their personal experiences, strong relationships, and credibility within their community.