When I was seven years old, I dreamed of becoming a pilot in the United States Air Force. I’d stare up at the sky, full of hope, wonder, and ambition—believing anything was possible.

But life has a way of testing that hope.

When I was twelve, my mother passed away. A few months later, my father lost his job. Everything changed. But one thing never did: we still had a meal on the table every single day. That was because of our local food bank and the unwavering love of my grandparents, who refused to let my hope be stolen by the hardships of our time.

That hope—that spark—carried me. I graduated from high school and, at 17, I enlisted in the Air Force. I didn’t become a pilot—turns out being colorblind has its limitations 😄—but I still had the honor of serving my country during Desert Storm. And now, the mission to end hunger is like putting on that uniform again, ready to serve as a proud veteran. Because I know firsthand what happens when a child’s hope is nurtured, not crushed. When systems serve, instead of fail. When a community doesn’t just survive—but believes in itself enough to rise.

Too many families today are living on the edge of systems that weren’t built with their futures in mind. A policy shift. A spike in inflation. A loss of benefits. These things don’t just move markets—they move entire families into crisis. And when that happens, it’s neighbors, nonprofits, and local partners who shoulder the weight. We can’t keep relying on fragile fixes for generational challenges. We need to build lasting systems—systems rooted in community, justice, and shared strength.

At Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, we’ve seen the power of what happens when a community is invested in—not just served. We’ve seen neighbors become growers. Young people become chefs and change agents. Food deserts evolve into nutrition security zones—not because someone dropped in with a solution, but because someone believed in their brilliance.

Imagine if we scaled that. Imagine if we treated nutrition like infrastructure. Imagine if we built systems that create opportunity, restore dignity, and grow local economies.

We don’t have to imagine it – because together – we can.

Let’s stop asking how we make federal systems more dependable—and start asking how we make local communities so strong, so rooted, that they lead their own future. That’s what we’re doing here. And we’re doing it together—with our team, our board, our partners, and our neighbors.

Not with fear – but with hope and faith—in one another.

The future we’re building isn’t for us. It’s for the next child in the next neighborhood, whose spark hasn’t been crushed yet. And it’s our responsibility to protect that spark at all costs.

Because that hope—no matter where it lives or what variety it comes in—fuels us all.

If this vision speaks to you—whether you’re a local business, a policymaker, a philanthropist, or a partner in progress—We are all neighbors and I invite you to lean in.

There’s a place for you at this table. And there’s work to be done. Let’s feed hope.

Let’s fuel futures. Let’s build something that lasts—together.

L. Ron Pringle, President & CEO,

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle