Nourishing Hope Wins Social Impact Award for Online Market Program at Leading for Good 2025
We are thrilled to share that Nourishing Hope has been honored with the Social Impact Award at the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility’s Leading for Good 2025 conference. This recognition highlights the success of our Online Market Program, an innovative approach to food access that is transforming the way individuals and families receive nutritious meals.
The Leading for Good conference serves as a hub for cross-sector collaboration, bringing together business, nonprofit, and civic leaders to explore how mission-driven organizations can accelerate meaningful social impact. The Innovator Awards, presented annually at the conference, celebrate organizations that are leading the way in social innovation across three categories: Social Impact, Environmental Stewardship, and Purpose and Profit. Nourishing Hope’s Online Market Program was recognized in the Social Impact category for its groundbreaking work in making food assistance more accessible, dignified, and client-centered.
Through this program, Nourishing Hope has successfully expanded its reach to serve more neighbors while reducing barriers to access and providing greater choice and flexibility.
Left to right: Michelle Carr, CEO of Evergreen Climate Innovations; Jennie Hull, Interim CEO and Chief Programs Officer, Nourishing Hope; Martin Nesbitt, Co-CEO and Senior Partner of The Vistria Group; Kip Kirpatrick, Co-CEO and Senior Partner of The Vistria Group; and Chris Wu, Vice President at Builders Vision.
Chief Program Officer and Interim CEO, Jennie Hull, accepted the award on behalf of Nourishing Hope and spoke on a panel about leveraging technology for social good. She talked about the importance of collaboration and strategic partnerships in working together to meet people where they are and creating meaningful change to help make life easier for our neighbors.
“Collaboration is our only way forward. Everyone is doing great work. We can’t solve the problem of food insecurity on our own — we need each other,” Hull said.
Later in the afternoon, our Program Expansion Manager, Natia Barnett was joined in a panel discussion with former CEO, Kellie O’Connell, the Executive Director of Bright Star Community Outreach, LaKreisha Kindred, and founder of Thierer Family Foundation, Nasrin Thierer, to speak to the impact of those strategic partnerships. Together, they discussed the successful collaboration of our organizations in making the Online Market a reality and a game changer for the food pantry model. Both Barnett and Kindred praised the model as transformative in its approach, both in accessibility and choice.
Theirer emphasized that investment in technology and innovation for nonprofits is a commitment that will continue to give back, but stated that “funders must also be committed to seeing the progress through and providing resources to ensure success.”
Left to right: Founder of Thierer Family Foundation, Nasrin Thierer; Executive Director of Bright Star Community Outreach, LaKreisha Kindred, and Nourishing Hope Program Expansion Manager, Natia Barnett.
Receiving this award is a testament to the dedication of our staff, donors, community partners and volunteers who make the Online Market Program possible. As we move forward, Nourishing Hope remains committed to expanding and refining this initiative, ensuring that anyone in need has access to food with dignity and ease.
We are incredibly grateful to the Baumhart Center and Loyola University Chicago for this recognition and to our community of supporters for believing in our mission of Nourishing Hope through food, mental health and social services so that all of our neighbors can thrive.