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Collaborate with Local Partners: Identify trustworthy and reliable local partners who are operating on the frontlines in the community to combat food insecurity. These partners often have valuable insights and established networks that can help ensure resources reach those who need them most urgently. Collaborative efforts can leverage your resources and expertise effectively.
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 Nikki Jolly.
Nikki Jolly is the senior manager of corporate citizenship and social impact at Frito-Lay. With nearly a decade of experience in strategic community impact, Nikki leads local and national programs that support communities across the country.
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?
I started my career working in the design industry and, after a long tenure, I reached a point where I wanted to marry my skills with the opportunity to make a difference in the world. My parents were public school teachers and they inspired me in the way they supported their students every day. My mom was a school counselor, which made me uniquely aware of the inequalities that exist. After watching my parents give back so much to their community, it was important to me that I find a way to give back too — that’s how I find myself working in social impact and corporate citizenship.
In my current role, I’m at the forefront of orchestrating and overseeing a variety of local and national programs, all designed to contribute positively to communities throughout the country. I’m proud to lead Frito-Lay’s efforts to support and uplift communities.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
When I first joined PepsiCo, I was working for the PepsiCo Foundation’s Food for Good initiative and attended a summer meal event. During this event I witnessed so many young children without full-time care who needed this support — often bringing their siblings to the community center for a meal. There is such a high need for this work that takes corporations working alongside non-profits, local governments, and others to really drive change. While we can spend a lot of time in offices talking about it, until you are out in the community, you can’t fully understand it.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success?
To be a leader in corporate social responsibility, the most important traits are persistence, collaboration and kindness. No matter what, we all need to keep working together to create meaningful impact. Every day, we continue to look for new opportunities alongside trusted partners — all while centering on kindness. Because in the end, that’s what matters.
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?
At PepsiCo, I started my career solely focused on food insecurity. This enabled me to see the challenges first-hand from a community and policy perspective, which shaped my understanding and helped to drive our strategic vision for how Frito-Lay could make a difference.
For example, while we have a longstanding relationship with Feed the Children, we have continued to evolve our partnership based on what communities need. During the pandemic, we heard from our partners and school districts about the weight that schools were carrying. For some schools, it’s not just about education; teachers and counselors are helping to provide students and their families with food, bus passes, clean clothes and more. The pandemic exacerbated this issue, and we knew that we needed to help.
That’s how the Building the Future Together program was born. We worked with our long-time partners, Feed the Children, to not just help students during a one-off event but provide sustained support to school districts throughout the year and let them allocate supplies at their discretion. After all, they know their students and their families and what they need most. The program provides pantry staples, hygiene products, books and other basic supplies and is often distributed through resource rooms in under-served school districts around the U.S.
Can you share something about your work that makes you most proud? Is there a particular story or incident that you found most uplifting?
What makes me most proud is seeing the long-term impact of the programs we are developing. For example, with the Building the Future Together program, while we’re thrilled to have served more than 110,000 families in cities across the U.S. and provide nearly 1.5 million pounds of resources since its inception, we are also hearing from participating schools that there is a 63% increase in school attendance and student engagement, and an increase in student confidence. For more children to stay in school and stay engaged, that has real potential to positively affect their futures. For example, as more students complete their education, they are better equipped to pursue higher-paying jobs. This can result in greater financial stability and independence, not only for the individuals but also for their families.
A program like Building the Future Together has the potential to create a ripple effect of positive, long-term changes in the lives of individuals and communities. It not only contributes to improved educational outcomes but also enhances social, economic, and psychological well-being, making it a valuable investment in the future.
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?
To further address the problem of food insecurity and make a meaningful impact, business and civic leaders can take a proactive approach by implementing the following strategies:
- Support Volunteering and Giving Initiatives: Encourage and support volunteering and giving among your employee base. At PepsiCo, we hold an annual PepsiCo Gives Back Campaign, which raised over $11 million for non-profits across the country this year. Such initiatives not only provide much-needed resources to local communities, but also foster a culture of social responsibility within your organization.
- Create Targeted Programs: Develop and fund programs and solutions for issues that may not receive adequate national support and attention. For example, providing supplies to school resource rooms, which address the specific needs of local communities. This can involve financial support, in-kind donations, or volunteering expertise to help design and implement effective solutions.
- Collaborate with Local Partners: Identify trustworthy and reliable local partners who are operating on the frontlines in the community to combat food insecurity. These partners often have valuable insights and established networks that can help ensure resources reach those who need them most urgently. Collaborative efforts can leverage your resources and expertise effectively.
- Community Engagement: Actively engage with the community around you. This includes listening to the concerns and challenges faced by local residents and organizations. Avoid the assumption that you know all the solutions and challenges. Instead, foster a two-way dialogue that allows the community’s needs and insights to guide your actions.
By combining these strategies and taking a comprehensive, community-centered approach, business and civic leaders can make significant strides in addressing the problem of food insecurity and improving the lives of those affected by it.
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.
Feed the Children has been devoted to this work for years, which is why we are so proud to be their long-term partner. We also know that local schools and food banks across the country are bearing the brunt of these issues, and we are constantly impressed by their persistence and drive to enact positive change in their communities.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Please follow @Frito-Lay on LinkedIn and X to learn more about our corporate citizenship work and other ways that we are creating more smiles and a brighter future with every bite. You can learn more about the Building the Future Together program and donate here.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much, and we wish you only continued success.
How Nikki Jolly Is Helping To Address The Growing Challenge Of Food Insecurity was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.