Real leadership isn’t about waiting, it’s about acting. It’s about recognizing the challenges ahead and choosing to build solutions rather than debating the problems.

This week, the USDA announced funding cuts to programs that have long supported local farmers, food banks, and schools in providing fresh, nutritious food to those who need it most. Some see this as a failure of policy; others as an opportunity to rethink how we support our communities. But what if we set politics aside and focused on what truly matters—ensuring families have access to food, farmers have the ability to thrive, and our economy remains strong?

The reality is that depending on unstable federal funding has never been a sustainable model. We’ve seen this before, and we’ll see it again. When funding is cut, it’s our neighbors—our communities—who pay the price. We cannot afford to keep playing this game. Instead, we must do what America has always done best: innovate.

That’s why we’re launching the President’s Fund to Advance Innovation—a commitment to local investment, strategic partnerships, and self-sustaining solutions. This is a shift in how we approach food security—not as a question of dependency, but as an opportunity for economic growth, resilience, and self-reliance.

This fund is an investment in:

·        Local farmers, ensuring they have the resources and infrastructure to meet demand.

·        Workforce development, creating training opportunities that strengthen both people and our food systems.

·        Sustainable food solutions, including efficient recovery and distribution models that prioritize long-term impact over temporary relief.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about making sure families never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. It’s about ensuring small businesses and farms have a market-driven way to thrive. It’s about strengthening our economy from the ground up, rather than waiting for top-down solutions that may or may not arrive.

The choice is clear: we can remain stuck in a cycle of dependency, or we can take control of our future. The President’s Fund to Advance Innovation is about choosing the latter—empowering our communities, strengthening our economy, and leading the way forward.

We need partners, investors, and visionaries to make this work– to support those with lived experience, community leaders with vision, volunteers who are passionate about community, and a talented committed staff and board, who believe in service above self.  If you’re ready to help build a stronger, more resilient food system, let’s connect at info@foodshuttle.org. Ask for me, L. Ron Pringle and let’s innovate together! #Innovation #FoodSecurity #CommunityInvestment

Yours in service,

L. Ron Pringle

President & CEO