If there’s anyone who understands the power of food and its ability to not only bring people together but also change lives, it’s Lauren Bush Lauren. Nearly a decade ago, she founded Feed Projects—in which fashionable products aid in the fight to end childhood hunger worldwide. Think leather bags, artisan jewelry, T-shirts and other stylish accessories that provide anywhere from 10 to 100 meals per purchase. Two years ago, Lauren launched Feed Supper, which takes place this year from September 16 to October 16 (ending on World Food Day). During this time you can sign up to host a grassroots dinner party, inspiring your friends to donate toward eradicating childhood hunger. Each party is a launch pad for hundreds of meals. We chatted with Lauren about how Feed Supper has changed the landscape of the Feed Project and majorly impacted the world (over 3 million meals to those in need … and counting!), as well as how you can get involved and make a difference, one dinner party at a time.
Why Feed Supper?
@feedprojects
"We launched Feed Supper in 2014 as a way to engage people—beyond their purchases—in the fight to end hunger. Buying a Feed bag is an individual way to give back, but we wanted a way to bring people together around the cause—and around food itself—to really move the needle. Supper came from that vision, and we’ve been blown away by how the Feed community has embraced it. It's really my favorite time of year."
How Feed Supper Works
Courtesy of FEED
"During this month, hundreds of Suppers take place around the country, all with the same goal to collectively provide two million meals for children in need globally and here in America. Anyone can host a Feed Supper. All you have to do is sign up, set your individual fund-raising goal and invite your friends to donate in advance of your dinner. My favorite part is the digital tool kits we've created for hosts this year—they come with beautiful printables, playlists and recipes. We really do all the work for you, so you can just focus on having fun and making a difference with your community."
Where Do Those Millions Of Meals Go?
Courtesy of FEED
"The first two years, we divided the meals raised through Supper evenly between our global and local giving partners, the World Food Programme and Feeding America. This year, we've taken a more localized approach by selecting four regions around the world: South Asia, West Africa, Latin America and the US. If you decide to raise meals for one of those, we give you a tool kit to help bring a little bit of that part of the world into your gathering and educate your guests about hunger there."
A Pro Tip For Your Feed Supper
Courtesy of FEED
"Take a moment to pause sometime during your dinner to talk about why you've gathered and to celebrate the meals you raised by coming together. That has been such a special moment at every Supper I've hosted or attended."
Lauren's Favorite Feed Supper Recipe
Courtesy of FEED
"Feed has partnered with some pretty amazing chefs to create signature Supper recipes that help people connect with the cuisines of our four regions: Roberto Santibañez for Mexico, Padma Lakshmi for India, Marco Canora for the US and JJ Johnson for Ghana. I'm really excited to try Roberto's salsa recipe from my Mexico tool kit, since I'm hosting at home this year!"
Chef Roberto Santibañez's Easy Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa
Ingredients:
- 5-6 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo (including a little adobo liquid)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees or broil. On a foil-lined baking sheet, roast tomatillos, turning once, until tops and bottoms are blackened and tomatillos are cooked to the core (20 to 30 minutes). Let cool slightly. Blend roasted tomatillos with remaining ingredients until very smooth. Season to taste with more salt and lime juice. Keep in the fridge up to 3 days.
Her Dream Guest List
Courtesy of FEED
"It's so tough to narrow down, but given the theme of mindfulness, I would invite Paul Newman, Muhammad Yunus, Bono, the Dalai Lama and Joan Baez."
What's Next For Feed Projects?
Courtesy of FEED
"We just launched our most extensive leather line to date, which we've called the Trailblazer Collection. It's a really special evolution for us. A few of the styles feature gorgeous textiles handwoven by artisans in Mexico. And of course, we'll be rolling out a lot of new stuff for the holidays!"
