WhyHunger, a nonprofit renowned for its unconventional approach towards alleviating hunger, has announced the appointment of its new Executive Director, Jenique Jones. Assuming the leadership role over the summer, Jones succeeds Noreen Springstead, who dedicated three decades to WhyHunger before her new role as President and CEO of Partnership For A Healthier America.

Jones eminently transitions from City Harvest, which stands as New York’s earliest and most extensive food rescue organization, where she excelled in her latest role of Vice President of Program Operations and Policy. At City Harvest, she managed the distribution of approximately 100 million pounds of food per annum.

At WhyHunger, the mandate is not purely about food distribution. “We are not a food bank,” Jones declared, elucidating WhyHunger’s role, which amassed $7 million in revenue in 2022. The mission at WhyHunger revolves around facilitating community oriented solutions based on justice as an antidote to hunger.

In Jones’ view, the individuals most affected by hunger are invariably the ones most capable of devising a response. Hence, WhyHunger empowers these communities with the resources they require to create a significant impact. “They understand their communities better than we do. Our role is to support grassroots organizations that strive to eradicate hunger within their localities,” she further explained.

Setting itself apart from conventional food banks in the country, which typically focus locally, WhyHunger operates across 23 countries worldwide. The primary objective is to amplify the benefits of agroecology — a sustainable, small scale farming approach. Jones is contemplating ways to adopt a more systematic strategy, including narrowing the focus to specific areas and possibly expanding the global staff.

Domestically, WhyHunger remains committed to supporting rural societies, particularly minority groups such as Black and BIPOC farmers. Another issue close to Jones’ heart is reinforcing WhyHunger’s influence on governmental policy and lobbying.

Going forward, Jones envisions a revamp of access to governmental aid, proposing a shift away from the use of federal poverty levels as the eligibility criteria due to considerable variations in the cost of living across locations.

Meanwhile, Jones acknowledges the crucial need for financial investments in grassroots, community level initiatives that WhyHunger identifies as pivotal for societal transformation. “We aim to generate more funds so as to enable more partners,” she concluded.