Stories of Impact
Transforming Southeast Michigan
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Will Jones III, volunteer, Black Men Read
LUNCH BUDDIES
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Since our time together, Lunch Buddiesā board is āfar more effective in helping guide our efforts to end hunger in Washtenaw County.ā
We’re proud and grateful to work alongside Lunch Buddies in pursuit of our shared vision of a just and thriving society. āThe whole Lunch Buddies team really showed up and leaned into some practices that are contrary to traditional, white supremacist ways of working together. It was amazing to witness their collective and individual growth.ā – NEW team member.
LUNCH BUDDIES
![Untitled (600 x 370 px)](https://www.new.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Untitled-600-x-370-px.png)
For our friends at Lunch Buddies their vision of a world without hunger is worth striving towards. Each year, they successfully deliver four thousand (4,000) free meals to Washtenaw County youth who would otherwise miss a meal. Since 2020, theyāve worked with thirteen (13) different schools across the county to make sure kids donāt go hungry. And theyāve recently begun sending meals home with students so they get enough to eat on weekends, too.
āThe free lunches Lunch Buddies provides gives me peace, knowing my babies are getting something to eat every day.ā – Lunch Buddies client
Despite their powerful impact in our community, Lunch Buddies was faced with a challenge. āWe were having trouble activating our boardās potential. We had all these great people at the table, but we werenāt making the most of their energy.ā – Lunch Buddies team member. Thatās when they turned to NEW for help, and weāre glad they did! āLunch Buddies does so much to help feed the kids in our community, we were so excited they gave us a call.ā – NEW team member.
Over six (6) months,Ā NEWās Consulting TeamĀ came alongside Lunch Buddiesā board members to take on the challenge of training their board in engaging governance practices. During our time together, we convened their board and provided foundational insight into the roles and responsibilities of board members. We co-created Ways of Being to serve as guidance for how folks would show up and work together. And we practiced techniques, like speaking in rounds, that invited everyone to participate in group decision-making.
āThe NEW team helped us get an understanding of what we were brought together to do, and how to do it in ways that honored all of the diverse people on our board. It was also a lot more fun than I expected.ā – Lunch Buddies team member.
![3](https://www.new.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/3.png)
![4](https://www.new.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/4.png)
Since our time together, Lunch Buddiesā board is āfar more effective in helping guide our efforts to end hunger in Washtenaw County.ā
We’re proud and grateful to work alongside Lunch Buddies in pursuit of our shared vision of a just and thriving society. āThe whole Lunch Buddies team really showed up and leaned into some practices that are contrary to traditional, white supremacist ways of working together. It was amazing to witness their collective and individual growth.ā – NEW team member.