For Polly Chandler, ensuring everyone has access to food has always been a top priority. Polly joined the van Hengel Society after asking herself—If I were to be remembered for one thing in the world, what would it be?
Polly says that her purpose in life is to be kind and peaceful. One could say she was brought into the world to do so; her hunger relief advocacy began as a child, when her father, who worked in the restaurant industry, made it his mission to provide food to youths experiencing hunger in the Minneapolis area. Since then, she has worked on a plethora of hunger initiatives—volunteering, advocating, and supporting her local food bank, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, and other hunger relief initiatives.
As she’s gotten more involved in food insecurity, she says she’s become increasingly aware of the issues surrounding hunger, and how removed they are from the spotlight. She began working with Feeding America because she was inspired by its holistic approach. She notes that in every city, town, and neighborhood, Feeding America is working not just to distribute food, but to address the root causes of hunger.
“Leaving a legacy gift is a way to have a lasting impact on your community and the world…I dream of a day where the root causes of hunger will be resolved, and this kind of donation and services won’t be needed,” Polly said. “Until then, I’ll keep trying to do my part.”