How Gerrod Moore Of Whirlpool Corporation Is Helping To Address The Growing Challenge Of Food Insecurity
An Interview With Martita Mestey
My mother always said, “A part of being smart is knowing where to find the answer.” This quote has been incredibly relevant to my life and career. You may not always know the solution immediately, but often, the smartest person is the one who has the willingness and determination to dig into a problem, find the answer, and learn in the process.
In many parts of the United States, there is a crisis of people having limited reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. As prices rise, this problem will likely become more acute. How can this problem be solved? Who are the leaders helping to address this crisis?
In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to address the increasing problem of food insecurity who can share the initiatives they are leading to address and solve this problem.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Gerrod Moore.
Gerrod joined Whirlpool Corporation in 2017 and has since held various leadership roles, significantly impacting both the company and the community. Beyond his professional achievements, he co-created the Whirlpool Corp. Feel Good Fridge Program, a vital initiative providing essential support to families in need and helping fight food insecurity in a sustainable way. His deep commitment to community well-being is further demonstrated through his service on the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency board.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
Whirlpool Corporation’s mission to improve life at home deeply resonates with me. While household appliances may not always be top of mind, we interact with our appliances every day and depend on them. This daily connection is what motivates me to make an impact within the company, and it directly led to the creation of the Feel Good Fridge program. We saw a clear opportunity to address food insecurity through our products.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
The most interesting experience I’ve had was volunteering at the MINT Foundation in Dallas, Texas. As we approached the food pantry, there was a huge traffic jam, to the point that I had to take a detour to reach the building. It turned out this traffic jam was for the food pantry itself — a mile-long line of cars, all waiting for food. That experience reinforced the importance of this program and has been the most impactful for me since we started Feel Good Fridge.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
I think the tipping point in my career was when I decided to keep pushing the envelope and fighting for ideas I truly believed in. It was about not taking “no” for an answer and continuing to advocate until leaders could clearly see the vision and value.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Kyle Trewhella and I have been a dynamic duo. It’s rare in your career to find someone with the same passion and drive as you, who you can also trust implicitly. We’ve been able to help each other grow both personally and professionally, which has significantly contributed to the success of the Feel Good Fridge program.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Integrity, ambition, and confidence. I believe you need the ambition to desire more and to make a meaningful impact, the confidence in yourself to pursue it and inspire others to believe in your vision, and the integrity to consistently make the right decisions.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My mother always said, “A part of being smart is knowing where to find the answer.” This quote has been incredibly relevant to my life and career. You may not always know the solution immediately, but often, the smartest person is the one who has the willingness and determination to dig into a problem, find the answer, and learn in the process.
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Can you describe to our readers how your work is helping to address the challenge of food insecurity?
Whirlpool Corporation’s Feel Good Fridge program utilizes returned refrigerators that might have minor cosmetic damage and gives them a second life. We test them, clean them up, and then donate them to Feeding America agencies and food pantries. This allows food pantries to store more perishable and healthy items, significantly increasing the amount of healthy food they can hold and distribute to their communities.
Can you share something about your work that makes you most proud? Is there a particular story or incident that you found most uplifting?
I’m most proud of our program’s progression. This initiative started right here in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the home of Whirlpool Corporation’s global headquarters, driven by a desire to make an impact in our local community. We quickly recognized the broader need and saw an opportunity to scale, and we’ve done just that. We’re nearing 2,000 fridges placed in U.S. food pantries since the program’s inception, and have the infrastructure in place to continue placing more refrigerators around the country.
In your opinion, what should other business and civic leaders do to further address these problems? Can you please share a few things that can be done to further address the problem of food insecurity?
I believe the most crucial step leaders can take is to collaborate more effectively. In the past, we’ve successfully collaborated with Feeding America, HelloFresh, and TQL simultaneously to deliver excess produce and proteins from HelloFresh, transport the food and refrigerators, and manage all excess inventory. We can help solve food insecurity by leveraging the existing resources companies have if we all commit to working together.
Are there other leaders or organizations who have done good work to address the challenge of food scarcity? Can you tell us what they have done? What specifically impresses you about their work? Perhaps we can reach out to them to include them in this series.
Absolutely. Beyond our work at Whirlpool, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the CEO of Feeding America, stands out as a remarkable leader. I particularly admire her ability to foster broad collaboration with corporations, government agencies, and grassroots organizations, consistently advocating for policy changes and forging alliances to amplify their collective impact.
If you had the power to influence legislation, are there laws that you would like to see introduced that might help you in your work?
If I had the power to influence legislation, I would push for laws that both incentivize corporate donations of excess inventory and streamline the process of food and appliance redistribution. For instance, providing enhanced tax credits for companies that donate surplus products, particularly durable goods like refrigerators, could encourage more businesses to participate in programs like the Feel Good Fridge. Additionally, simplifying regulations around food handling and donation for large-scale operations could significantly reduce waste and get more healthy food to those in need more efficiently.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
Persistence pays off, even when you hear “no”: When we first conceived the Feel Good Fridge program, there were many internal hurdles and initial skepticism about its feasibility and scalability. I learned that just because an idea is met with resistance doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. It often means you need to refine your approach, gather more data, and communicate the vision more compellingly. Had I given up after the first few challenges, this program would never have reached nearly 2,000 food pantries.
The power of unexpected collaborations: I initially thought helping solve food insecurity would primarily involve direct product donations. However, working with organizations like Feeding America, HelloFresh, and TQL opened my eyes to the incredible synergy that can be created when seemingly disparate organizations align on a common goal. Our relationship with HelloFresh, for instance, allowed us to address a supply chain issue for them while simultaneously getting nutritious food and fridges to communities, showcasing how diverse resources can create a holistic solution.
Start small, but always think big: The Feel Good Fridge began as a localized effort in Benton Harbor, Michigan to help the immediate community of our global headquarters. We focused on proving the concept and building momentum. What I wish I had fully grasped from day one is the importance of having a scalable vision baked into the initial planning. This foresight would have allowed us to design processes and relationships with national expansion in mind from the very beginning, potentially accelerating our growth even faster.
Understanding stakeholder motivations is crucial for buy-in: Early on, I realized that presenting an idea, no matter how good, wasn’t enough. You have to tailor your message to what matters most to your audience. When speaking with executives, it wasn’t just about the community impact; it was also about how this program aligned with Whirlpool Corporation’s mission, reduced waste, and enhanced corporate brand reputation. Learning to speak their “language” and address their specific concerns and priorities was instrumental in securing the necessary resources and support.
Celebrate every victory, no matter how small: In a long-term initiative like addressing food insecurity, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problem. What I quickly learned was the importance of acknowledging and celebrating small milestones. Whether it was placing the first fridge, receiving heartwarming feedback from a pantry, or hitting a modest donation target, these small victories fueled our team’s morale and reminded us of the tangible difference we were making, keeping us motivated for the larger fight.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
It would be a movement to instill a deep sense of compassion in every person — where we genuinely care for our fellow human beings. With that foundation, we could effectively address challenges like food insecurity and homelessness using the resources we already possess. It absolutely can be done.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would be incredibly honored to have breakfast or lunch with Chef José Andrés (@chefjoseandres). His work with World Central Kitchen, rapidly deploying food relief in disaster zones and communities in crisis around the globe, is nothing short of inspiring. He exemplifies the power of immediate, actionable compassion and the profound impact that dedicated, innovative individuals can have on global food security. I’d love to learn about his approach to large-scale, rapid deployment and how he mobilizes resources so effectively.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
www.whirlpoolcorp.com/feel-good-fridge
This was very meaningful, thank you so much, and we wish you only continued success.
How Gerrod Moore Of Whirlpool Corporation Is Helping To Address The Growing Challenge Of Food… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.