High Five from WILL WORK FOR FOOD: Robbie Dembo

Every other week, our "High Five" features an internal member of the WILL WORK FOR FOOD Headquarters Team. Robbie Dembo has a strong passion for actually doing work and not just talking about it. Ironically, I just decided to talk about Robbie, as he is the focus of this week's High Five.

Robbie is currently the Director of Community Outreach for WWFF and is always busy trying to find new ways to engage the University of Michigan community with the WWFF initiative. His position requires innovation, creativity, and a willingness to go beyond what is expected of him. But what’s life without a little music? Robbie has decided to share with us his top five most played songs in iTunes:

1) Exit Music (For a Film) – Radiohead
2) No Name #3 – Elliott Smith
3) What is Life – George Harrison
4) Is This What You Wanted – Leonard Cohen
5) Side With the Seeds – Wilco

Robbie also wanted to share with us a favorite quote of his. As said by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.”

If we’ve learned anything from Robbie today, it’s to actually go out there and do something, not just talk about it. If you are able to work for food, you ought to take just a few minutes to register and get started today!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Leading by Example: WWFF in Ann Arbor

While the WILL WORK FOR FOOD Headquarters Team works mostly behind the scenes in spreading the WWFF initiative, we always try to practice what we preach by volunteering in our community and raising money to fight child malnutrition. Last weekend, we volunteered at the Michigan Abilities Center (MAC) in Ann Arbor. MAC is a powerful organization that develops therapy programs for children and adults who face physical, mental, emotional, or learning challenges. While there, the team learned all about MAC and helped clean, organize, and repair their training facility.

Want to join a work effort on your campus? Find a group and get started today!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Natural disasters increase malnutrition

Food For Thought: Countries affected by natural disasters often see an increase in malnutrition among children.

The recent earthquake in Haiti has left over one million people without sufficient shelter or substantial access to food and water. The earthquake destroyed the country's infrastructure and has left the population reliant on international aid.

It was estimated that approximately 20 percent of kids in Haiti were undernourished before the earthquake. The current crisis is expected to make these numbers skyrocket since the earthquake disrupted reliable access to food and water.

Children under the age of five are the most likely to become severely malnourished because they need so many nutrients for proper growth and development. If a child becomes malnourished they are then more susceptible to other dangerous health concerns facing the people of Haiti such as fatal respiratory and bacterial infections.

WILL WORK FOR FOOD raises money to help our affiliate Doctors Without Borders fight malnutrition. Although we used to specifically support their work in Darfur, we recently branched out to help in other regions of the world as well.

Doctors Without Borders is on the ground in Haiti working around the clock to help save Haitians that are desperately in need. The WILL WORK FOR FOOD Team is distraught by the crisis in Haiti and ready to support our affiliate organization by helping to fund their efforts. This is why we are now giving our participants the option of designating the funds they raise through WILL WORK FOR FOOD to be used in Haiti.

Visit our website to Get Involved and for more information on how to support Doctors Without Borders in Haiti through WILL WORK FOR FOOD.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

High Five from WILL WORK FOR FOOD: Participants Who Have Raised the Most $

This week's High Five recognizes the five WILL WORK FOR FOOD participants who have raised the most money by getting their local work efforts sponsored by friends and family. Feel free to check out the profiles of each of these five outstanding individuals listed below:

1) Stephanie Stahl, University of Michigan, $610
2) Lucy Warren, Ohio Wesleyan University, $495
3) Lauren Yaffe, University of Michigan, $470
4) Jake Markel, Huron High School, $320
5) Jamie Plzak, University of Wisconsin, $235

The people above exemplify the power of the WILL WORK FOR FOOD fundraising platform. Together they have raised enough money to help save dozens of malnourished kids abroad. As Lucy at Ohio Wesleyan told us, "Within the first twenty minutes of sending an email to friends and family, I was receiving notifications of donations and the support has continued to come in!"

Raising this much money for WWFF is by no means mandatory in order to get involved. Truly, every little bit raised helps.

Would you like to GET INVOLVED with WILL WORK FOR FOOD? It only takes a few minutes so get started today!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: Lauren Yaffe

Since joining WILL WORK FOR FOOD, Lauren Yaffe, a 2007 graduate from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, has raised almost $500 through a variety of unique work efforts. This past weekend, Lauren participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project in Chicago, Illinois. To learn more about Lauren and this very special service opportunity, we asked her a few questions and here's what she had to say:


Q: Where are you from?
A: I'm originally from Madison, WI, but now I live in Chicago, where I work for a mid-sized public and accounting firm.

Q: If you could meet one person, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
A: Oprah! I think she is such a strong and accomplished woman and I believe in a lot of the causes that she supports. I also enjoy her show and think that she would be fascinating to speak to in person.

Q: Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
A: I've traveled to almost 20 countries and really enjoy going to exotic places! The coolest place I've ever traveled to was the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador.

Q: What are your favorite pastimes?
A: Working out, arts and crafts, spending time with family and friends, biking, jazz dance, and trying new restaurants in Chicago!

Q: Can you tell us a little more about your most recent work effort, the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project?
A: The Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project is to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Chicago community. Participants were able to participate in a number of projects, such as painting murals, organizing a library, and making a fresh meal for seniors. Specifically, I painted a large canvas painting which will be hung in the hallways of Bouchet Academy, a math and science elementary school in Chicago.

Q: How did you raise money for this event?
A: I raised $370 this year for the MLK Service Project. I sent out an email to close friends and family educating them about my volunteer effort and asking for donations to WWFF to sponsor my work effort.

Q: Why are you interested in helping and participating in WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I think the premise of WWFF is great - I get to volunteer for causes that are important to me while getting the encouragement and support of family and friends by having them donate to a worthy cause to fight child malnutrition abroad.

Q: If you could describe WILL WORK FOR FOOD in one word, what would it be?
A: Progressive

Do you want to join WILL WORK FOR FOOD in its fight against child malnutrition? Register and get started today!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

High Five from WILL WORK FOR FOOD: Josh Cohen

Every other week, our High Five post will feature an internal member of WILL WORK FOR FOOD sharing five of their favorite things. Hopefully, these posts will help you get to know our team a little better.

Josh Cohen is one of the co-founders of WILL WORK FOR FOOD. Josh graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a degree in Organizational Studies. He is currently traveling and visiting family to explore "the infinite possibilities life has to offer" and to figure out what he'll be doing next. Before leaving for a two-month journey to France, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, and Turkey, Josh left us with five of his favorite quotes:

1) "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's
no point in being a damn fool about it." (W. C. Fields)

2) "When you are in love you can't fall asleep because reality is
better than your dreams." (Dr. Seuss)

3) "I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings
endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides.
Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages
the tormentor, never the tormented." (Elie Wiesel)

4) "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to
success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
(Albert Schweitzer)

5) "The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or
even heard, but must be felt with the heart." (Helen Keller)


Josh WILL WORK FOR FOOD because he knows that we have the potential to unite and create a world dedicated to global citizenship, where local volunteerism can also help fight child malnutrition abroad. We wish Josh luck in his travels and hope his favorite quotes inspire you to GET INVOLVED.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: Amy Verhey

Amy Verhey is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Not only is Amy a campus representative for the university, but with the help of over 6 sponsors, she has also raised a substantial amount of money for WILL WORK FOR FOOD. Since Amy is so active with WWFF on her campus, we wanted to know more about her involvement in her own words and here's what she had to share:

Q: What are you studying at UW-Madison?
A: I'm currently undecided, but I'm interested in psychology, communications, and Spanish. After I graduate I would like to continue my education in graduate school.

Q: What's your favorite book?
A: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Q: What is your favorite band?
A: Dashboard Confessional

Q: What is something you would like to do before you graduate?
A: I really want to study abroad in Spain and travel all over Europe. I think it would be an amazing experience!

Q: What else are you involved in at UW-Madison?
A: I'm the Vice President of Communications for my sorority, Pi Beta Phi. I'm also a member of the Dietetics and Nutrition Club, as well as Associated Women of Communications.

Q: How did you find out about WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I found out about WWFF through my sorority. After hearing about its great purpose, I decided to become a campus representative and help spread the word throughout campus.

Q: What has been your most successful work effort?
A: I volunteer at Wisconsin Public Television. I primarily help during the network's telethons by answering phones and receiving donations. Through these telethons, I also got sponsors to sponsor me using the WILL WORK FOR FOOD website. I e-mailed my family and friends, and was thrilled that so many people were willing to donate to such a great cause such as child malnutrition.

Q: As UW-Madison's campus rep, what kinds of projects do you have planned for this semester?
A: We are going to plan a large event for the beginning of the semester to really get people involved. We have so many student groups and individuals who are signed up to help us kick off our first work effort of the semester!

Q: Why are you interested in participating in WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: When I heard about WWFF I joined immediately and am so glad I did. The malnutrition epidemic is such an important issue that definitely deserves more attention than it currently receives, and I think that WWFF does a great job spreading the word to colleges all across the nation. Since all the money we raise goes directly towards Doctors Without Borders and the purchase of Plumpy'nut, I know that my contribution really will make a huge difference.

Q: If you could describe WILL WORK FOR FOOD in one word, what would it be?
A: Rewarding

Lucy's experience is a perfect example of how you can have an impact in your local community while fighting child malnutrition with WILL WORK FOR FOOD.

Register at http://www.willworkforfood.org/user/register today and start working for food! Try using the "Get Sponsors" email to find friends and family to sponsor your work.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Malnutrition Kills Too Many Children

"Every year, malnutrition kills five million children - that's one child every six seconds."

This means that by the time you're done reading this sentence, a child will have died that could have been saved by a ready-to-use therapeutic food like Plumpy’nut.

What if you had the power to save some of these kids? Would you do something to help these innocent children live the long and healthy lives they deserve?

Realizing that our own personal lives are removed from the daily happenings of these severely malnourished children, we designed WILL WORK FOR FOOD to give people an opportunity to help their own communities (something we're all more familiar with) while raising relief funds to save these malnourished children.

Our "workers" volunteer in their own community and then ask friends and family members to sponsor this work with a donation. Every dollar raised helps our affiliates, Doctors Without Borders, purchase and distribute life-saving nutritional supplements to severely malnourished children.

With how connected the world is these days, we cannot just ignore this malnutrition epidemic that takes the lives of so many children. Time is ticking and kids need saving. So get involved today!

Visit our Get Involved page to sign up, Learn More pages for more information on Malnutrition and Plumpy'nut, or the Donate Now page to make a contribution.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: Lucy Warren

"Within the first twenty minutes of sending an email to friends and family, I was receiving notifications of donations and the support has continued to come in!"

Lucy Warren, a senior at Ohio Wesleyan University, has raised over $400 for WILL WORK FOR FOOD thanks to the support of her family and friends that have sponsored her work effort. Her commitment to helping her own community and fighting child malnutrition made her a perfect person for this week's Participant of the Week. We wanted to get to know Lucy a little better and find out how she was so successful in finding sponsors. Here's what she had to say:


Q: What's your favorite TV show?
A: The Office

Q: What's your favorite sports team?
A: Washington Redskins, even though we're struggling this season!

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I would love to go to Africa, but I would also really like to go back to India.

Q: How did you find out about WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I found out about WWFF from my roommate and close friend, Lily Strumwasser, who is also the WWFF Campus Representative at Ohio Wesleyan. She got me interested in this wonderful organization.

Q: How have you raised the money so far?
A: I contacted family and friends by email and explained what WILL WORK FOR FOOD is all about. I had an overwhelming amount of support from both family and friends. Within the first twenty minutes of sending the initial email, I was receiving notifications of donations and the support has continued to come in!

Q: What specifically are you doing for your work effort?
A: In February, a group of Ohio Wesleyan students, including myself, are planning an event for the local families in Deleware, OH who are in need. The event will include food, games, music, and fun for all ages!

Q: Why were you inspired to get involved in WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I believe this organization has created an outstanding opportunity for students to independently stand up and reach out to those in need by making a difference at home in their own communities while addressing the international malnutrition crisis.

Q: If you could describe WILL WORK FOR FOOD in one word, what would it be?
A: Progressive

Lucy's experience is a perfect example of how you can have an impact in your local community while fighting child malnutrition with WILL WORK FOR FOOD.

Register at http://www.willworkforfood.org/user/register today and start working for food! Try using the "Get Sponsors" email to find friends and family to sponsor your work.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

High Five from WILL WORK FOR FOOD: Individuals with the most sponsors

This week's High Five recognizes the five WILL WORK FOR FOOD participants who have found the most friends and family to sponsor their local work efforts. Visit each participant's profile to see their recent work efforts and how much they have raised to fight child malnutrition.

1) Jenny Feuer, University of Michigan, 11 sponsors
2) Stephanie Stahl, University of Michigan, 10 sponsors
3) Isabella Morrison, Frankel Academy, 8 sponsors
4) Jake Markel, Huron High School, 7 sponsors
5) Lily Strumwasser, Ohio Wesleyan University, 6 sponsors

Congrats on the great work, guys!

Check out our Sponsor Someone page if you're interested in sponsoring a WILL WORK FOR FOOD participant, and look at "How Do I Find a Sponsor" on our FAQ Page for steps on how to get your own community service sponsored by friends and family.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: Jenna Weinberg

Jenna Weinberg is a sophomore at the University of Michigan. The Baltimore native has shown a great devotion to community service and WILL WORK FOR FOOD. Because of her outstanding work and her creative ideas, we decided Jenna would be perfect as this week's WILL WORK FOR FOOD Participant of the Week. We asked Jenna a few questions, and here's what she had to say:

Q: What is your major at the University of Michigan? And what do you want to be when you grow up?
A: I'm an International Studies major, and I hope to work for a non-profit someday or do something social work related.

Q: What is your favorite song?
A: "Window" by Guster

Q: What's your favorite TV show?
A: Lost

Q: What is the most interesting place you've even been?
A: Uruguay and Argentina

Q: How did you find out about WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I found out about WILL WORK FOR FOOD when Challah for Hunger decided to host an event with WWFF. Students baked 175 challahs over the course of a week, and then invited the community to a huge event to raise awareness and money for the cause.

Q: Can you tell us a little more about your specific work effort, Challah for Hunger?
A: Challah for Hunger is an organization on college compuses nationwide. The goal is to bake challah every week in all sorts of fun flavors (chocolate chip, pumpkin, chai tea, tomato basil, apple cinnamon, etc) and then sell them on campus to raise money for charity. Half of the money raised supports Challah for Hunger's national partner, the Darfur Fund at the Amercian Jewish World Service. Each campus chapter then gets to pick where the other half of the money raised is donated and we chose WWFF!

Q: How have you been raising money so far?
A: I personally raised about $50 by signing up online on WILL WORK FOR FOOD's website. I then sent out emails to my family and friends, telling them about WWFF and asking them to sponsor my work.

Q: How long did it take you to raise this money?
A: It only took a few minutes to send out the emails. I then received donations from three different people over the course of about a week.

Q: Why are you interested in helping with and participating in WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: This is a way to give back to both the local and world communities all at once. I can volunteer in my community and get sponsors to help alleviate malnutrition in Darfur simultaneously. What could be better?

Q: If you could describe WILL WORK FOR FOOD in one word, what would it be?
A: Genius!



If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Food For Thought: How far can a donation go?

In our "Food For Though" posts, we'll share a new statement or fact with you every week. We'll follow these up with some extra information and also break them down for you in order to put things in perspective.

Volunteering in your community and finding one sponsor to donate to WILL WORK FOR FOOD can help save a malnourished kid.

Our slogan is simple: volunteering locally to save children globally. Volunteer in your own community and then ask a friend or family member to "sponsor" this work with a donation. The money raised will help save malnourished children abroad.

In some of our past posts we've written about the importance of community service and also provided some suggestions of how to get involved. Now we want to let you know just how important it is to get your work sponsored and how far a donation to WILL WORK FOR FOOD can go.

In the past, the average donation from a sponsor has been about $25. For $25 we can provide a severely malnourished child in Darfur with a week of Plumpy'nut AND a height/weight check up with a doctor. It only takes three weeks of Plumpy'nut and check ups to save the life of a malnourished child.

So if you volunteer in your community and ask friends or family members to sponsor your work, you can save a severely malnourished child. Volunteering locally to save children globally. It's as simple as that.

As of December 2009, WILL WORK FOR FOOD has raised over $17,000 and has saved hundreds of kids.

WILL YOU WORK FOR FOOD?

Check out the Get Involved page to learn more. You can also visit the Donate Now page to make a contribution.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: John French

John French – a native of Cary, NC – is currently in his sophomore year at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He was able to raise almost $200 for his recent work effort at the Peidmont Wildlife Center with the help of numerous family and friends who sponsored his volunteering. For his great work, we decided it was time for everyone to meet John:


Q: What are you studying at UNC-Chapel Hill ? And do you have any idea what you want to be when you grow up?
A: I’m a biology major and I hope to go into health care when I graduate.


Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
A: I would go to Antarctica to study penguins.

Q: What's the best movie you've seen recently?
A: Funny People

Q: What's your favorite music group/singer?
A: Thelonious Monk

Q: How did you get so many people to sponsor you?
A: I mainly asked my family and close friends to make contributions through e-mail.

Q: Was finding sponsors easy or difficult to do?
A: I thought it might be difficult to find sponsors for my work efforts, but it turned out to be a lot easier than I thought. After explaining what WILL WORK FOR FOOD was, they were all more than happy to donate to the worthwhile cause.

Q: How long did it take you to raise this money?
A: I sent out e-mails and then within a few hours I had donations. It took almost no time at all!

A: How did you find out about Will Work For Food?
A: I found out about WWFF through Peter Helvie and Ben Vollmer, the WILL WORK FOR FOOD representatives for UNC-Chapel Hill.

Q: Why are you interested in helping and participating in WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I was drawn to WILL WORK FOR FOOD because it is a unique and simple way to help around my local community while helping malnourished children in Darfur at the same time.

Q: If you could describe WWFF in one word, what would it be?
A: Compassion



If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

"Plumpy'nut is a life-saver"

Last month WILL WORK FOR FOOD had the privilege of introducing our initiative at a conference hosted by the University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health. At the event, students, professors and doctors from around the world were able to get together and share innovative ideas with one another.

We were fortunate enough to meet Anthony Sallar, a medical student in his final year at the University of Ghana Medical School, and some of his classmates. WILL WORK FOR FOOD caught their attention because of how we utilize Plumpy’nut to fight child malnutrition. Anthony and his classmates shared stories with us about how they have witnessed Plumpy’nut nurse malnourished kids back to health at a nutritional rehabilitation center in Ghana.

They went on to tell us about just how badly these kids suffering from malnutrition need nutritional supplements like Plumpy’nut. “Plumpy’nut is a life-saver,” they told us. Anthony and his friends were a powerful inspiration for us to keep spreading the WILL WORK FOR FOOD initiative and continuing to fight child malnutrition.

While we currently focus on saving malnourished kids in Darfur, meeting and hearing stories from people like Anthony is why we hope to be able to expand to other regions of the world soon. As the ancient Chinese proverb goes, “The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

Make a step today and Get Involved!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

High Five from WILL WORK FOR FOOD: Natalie Fratto

Every other week, our High Five post will feature an internal member of WILL WORK FOR FOOD so that you can get to know our team a little better.

Natalie Fratto is a University of Michigan Campus Coordinator and part of the Marketing team for the national WWFF campaign. She's a sophomore Communications major and a member of the U of M Circle K chapter. Natalie also helps out her community by working with the Detroit Partnership and raising money for St. Jude Children's Hospital with her sorority.

Natalie WORKS FOR FOOD because it gives her the opportunity to use her local actions to combat a serious global problem; she can help children here in Michigan while improving the lives of suffering children in Darfur at the same time.


Natalie decided to share her top 5 ways to waste time when she should be studying for exams:

1. Discovering new music on Pandora--my current fave is Joshua Radin radio.

2. Watching TV episodes online, usually Dexter or Flash Forward.

3. Playing obscene amounts of tetris. My high score is in the 3 millions.

4. Replaying the end of Love Actually over and over and over... the little boy singing gets me every time!

5. Enjoying the beautiful U of M campus.

Somehow Natalie forgot to mention that reading the WILL WORK FOR FOOD blog is actually her favorite distraction.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."