Meet Heather Griesser LaPierre. She’s the Vision and the Heartbeat Driving Kids Against Hunger United.
Typically, behind most great successful companies, behind most worthy foundations or causes, you’ll find a unique individual whose vision and dream spurred it on to achieve its success. Spend some time shadowing Heather Griesser LaPierre (if you can keep up!) and you’ll see a mover and a shaker who simply gets things accomplished. She’s focused on three important things: her husband Bernie and family, her day job as a highly successful real estate agent, and her true passion, being the driving force behind the non-profit organization she founded in 2015, Kids Against Hunger United.
Early Inspirations to Philanthropy
From an early age, Heather truly enjoyed helping others. In fifth grade, she recalls seeing an informercial for Children International about sponsoring a starving child in Honduras for $13 a month. She babysat to raise the money. This led to volunteering at Special Olympics, nursing homes, retirement homes, Ronald McDonald House and homes for mentally challenged women.
Humble Beginnings to Major Impact
It was clearly in Heather’s DNA to help the less fortunate. She did soul searching to determine where her time and energy would make the most impact. Determining that hunger was where she needed to focus, she started Kids Against Hunger United out of the basement of her home—then spilling into her living room for additional storage needs. Food was delivered on pallets and she and Bernie unloaded the 50 pound bags. From the beginning—and to this day—a significant amount of her earnings as a top agent are donated to keep Kids Against Hunger United growing. And grow it did. Heather went from utilizing her home basement/living room to graduating to a warehouse, then two other warehouses, eventually growing to the current 5,000 sq. ft. warehouse. Throughout that growth and various warehouses, Kids Against Hunger United (with the generous help of so many volunteers, donors and sponsors), has put together over 11,000,000 meals in 8 years!
In the beginning of KAH United, Heather Griesser LaPierre’s home served as its initial warehouse to store bulk food. She and her husband would move the bulk food off palettes into the home. It was a huge move going into their first warehouse. Today, they benefit from their 5,000 sq. ft warehouse.
Creating a Food Pantry to Fight Hunger Locally
In addition to the food packing events Heather coordinates, she and her team saw a need in the community and started a local food pantry. “This facility, driven by generous donations from local families and businesses, provide our food insecure and hungry neighbors an important resource,” explains Heather. “You’d be surprised at just how many people around us are struggling to put food on their tables and feed their families, especially after the Covid pandemic we went through.” Inspired by her late father, who instilled Heather’s giving nature and supported her philanthropic efforts, she designated a small section of the food pantry filled with all his favorite snacks, and named it Pop Pop’s Stash. “He loved his snacks and we always had a stash of his favorites in our pantry for him,” Heather reminisces, “and we wanted to honor him with this. His favorite color was orange, so that’s why this color is an important part of our branding.”
Become Part of the Solution
“Seeing our appreciative neighbors come into the Food Pantry to be able to help feed their families is heartwarming,” Heather notes. “It’s the same when we host a food packing event in coordination with a business, group or organization. The energy among the volunteers packing meals is amazing.” For Heather, it is so fulfilling seeing these people light up as they become part of the solution instead of standing on the sidelines. She explains: “When likeminded people come together, we can create such an incredible impact for those who are less fortunate! It’s one of the best ways to show your appreciation for what you have and pay it forward.” Heather is fond of noting that Kids Against Hunger United feeds two types of hunger: The very real hunger of the individuals and families that receive our food, as well as the hunger within each of us to want to give back and help others. She extends an invitation: “Won’t you come out and help feed both types of hunger? Come out and join us!”
The Origins of the Parent Organization, Kids Against Hunger: The Backstory
Kids Against Hunger is a national organization with 36 satellites throughout the United States and Canada. Each one is its own individual 501c3 organization. Heather started the Philadelphia Chapter, as well as currently serving on the corporate board. Kids Against Hunger was initially started in 1974 by Richard Proudfit. He went to Honduras as a volunteer following a devastating hurricane that hit the country. Profoundly affected by the starvation he saw among the children of that country, he made a conscious decision to commit his life and financial resources towards the enormous problem of world hunger.
Drawing on his knowledge in manufacturing and distribution, Proudfit recruited his colleagues in the corporate world to help launch this worthy cause. He enlisted the resources of leading food scientists to develop a highly nutritious meal – rich in protein and fortified with vitamins and minerals – that, when boiled with water, provides nourishment for starving children, the same bulk foods KAH United packages at their events. His tireless work building relationships resulted in a world-wide network of organizations that can successfully distribute the food— even under the worst conditions. Richard Proudfit’s legacy lives on to end world hunger through the network of Kids Against Hunger today.