Jessica Stern is Co-Founder and Principal, The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice. Stern spoke at Women’s Funding Network’s, Feminist Funded 2025, the largest gathering of global leaders in feminist philanthropy.
Lessons in nonprofit communications from World Central Kitchen
If you want your supporters to know why your work matters, tell them. That’s what World Central Kitchen (WCK) does. WCK isn’t the only organization dedicated to feeding people in times of crisis. They stand out because they do an incredible job of telling their story.
Yes, WCK was founded by chef José Andrés and most organizations don’t have anyone like him on their team. What they do have is the quality of their work and their unique story. A lot of organizations are great at what they do. Where they struggle is communicating why their work matters. That’s one of the many reasons a clear mission is essential. WCK’s mission and vision can be summed up in this statement by chef Andrés: “I hope you’ll dream with us as we envision a world where there is always a hot meal, an encouraging word, and a helping hand in hard times. Thank you for taking this journey with us.” Good, effective storytelling and overall organizational communications flow from mission clarity.
WCK’s social media channels feature compelling stories about real people. The emphasis is on community, connection, and hope. Whether the focus is on someone receiving food or serving food, every story demonstrates the importance of WCK’s work. There is no question about why the organization does what it does. Every post also carries an implied central message and call to action- people are hungry and in need of a hot meal right now, we’re feeding them, and you can help. This simple and effective message follows a basic message development structure:
State the problem– People are hungry and in need of a hot meal right now.
Describe your solution– We’re feeding them.
Make a call to action– You can help by (fill in the blank).
Check out these examples of this powerful strategy in action.
If you want your supporters to know why your work matters, start by telling them. Use these lessons inspired by WCK to get started-
2021 is going to require a collective change of consciousness and new ways of operating in the world. That change is possible and it will be hard. Who will be the helpers and the shepherds to share the vision of who we can be and keep the momentum going for better days for all of us? Some of them are already out in the world doing the work. Some of us may be among them. It’s time to look for the helpers, help them, and join them.
“The pandemic will end not with a declaration, but with a long, protracted exhalation. Even if everything goes according to plan, which is a significant if, the horrors of 2020 will leave lasting legacies. A pummeled health-care system will be reeling, short-staffed, and facing new surges of people with long-haul symptoms or mental-health problems. Social gaps that were widened will be further torn apart. Grief will turn into trauma. And a nation that has begun to return to normal will have to decide whether to remember that normal led to this. “We’re trying to get through this with a vaccine without truly exploring our soul,” said Mike Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota.”
Where The Pandemic Will Take America in 2021
DP Cogan Consulting 