Beyond Helping Hands

Who among us doesn’t remember the ubiquitous TV ads produced by the Christian Children’s Fund and Save the Children? Their images of children in dangerous states of malnutrition with the toll-free number at the bottom encouraging viewers to make a donation today to save lives were splashed across televisions throughout the United States. It was easy to think that the best way to end hunger was to give money. But what if the ads had mentioned that nearly one third of the world’s food is wasted or lost annually? How would you want to help then? What if more money wasn’t making enough of a difference?

Recognized as one of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), hunger and food insecurity is an intractable global challenge. Today, one in nine people globally are food insecure. Yet most of us feel paralyzed to tackle this challenge given its magnitude. The scale and complexity of this issue are too often considered barriers to taking incremental steps forward to solve the challenge.

For over 15 years, Taproot Foundation has helped to define, build, and advance the field of pro bono service around the globe. We know that human capital and professional expertise are invaluable resources in addressing society’s most pressing challenges. In 2017, we are piloting the Taproot Campaigns, each of which is a statement of our commitment to deepening the impact of pro bono service. The campaigns enable Taproot to leverage professional expertise to strategically address a critical social issue, maximize the individual development opportunities that are inherent within pro bono service, and respond to the ever-evolving needs of our partner organizations.

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