{"id":596955,"date":"2024-07-20T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-20T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/?post_type=podcast&#038;p=596955"},"modified":"2024-07-18T16:13:51","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T20:13:51","slug":"walmart-to-feeding-america-with-claire-babineaux-fontenot","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/podcast\/walmart-to-feeding-america-with-claire-babineaux-fontenot\/","title":{"rendered":"Ep 207: From Walmart to Feeding America (with Claire Babineaux-Fontenot)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Here\u2019s something I know all about from deep personal experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Moving from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector is no small feat, especially when you\u2019re taking the helm of the largest charity in the United States.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Claire Babineaux-Fontenot did just that, transitioning from the Executive Vice President of Finance at Walmart to the CEO of Feeding America, an organization with over $3 billion in revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Claire\u2019s journey is a testament to the power of aligning professional skills with a deep-seated passion for community service. Her story resonates with many nonprofit leaders who view their work as more than a job\u2014it\u2019s a calling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Claire, who grew up in a family of 108 children through biology, adoption, and fostering, has always been driven by a desire to make a difference. Her journey from corporate finance to leading a nonprofit giant is both inspiring and enlightening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this episode, we explore the challenges and triumphs of Claire\u2019s transition from corporate to nonprofit, the incredible impact of Feeding America, and some of the broader issues facing the nonprofit sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-in-this-episode\"><strong>In This Episode:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Claire\u2019s Transition from Corporate to Nonprofit:<\/strong> Discover how Claire moved from Walmart to Feeding America and the significant moments that shaped her journey.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Feeding America\u2019s Mission and Impact:<\/strong> Learn about Feeding America\u2019s role in addressing food insecurity and how the organization operates across the United States.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Challenges in Nonprofit Leadership:<\/strong> Claire shares her experiences of being welcomed (and not) into the nonprofit sector and the lessons learned along the way.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Building Partnerships and Avoiding Mission Creep:<\/strong> We discuss the importance of authentic partnerships and how Feeding America avoids diluting its impact.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advocacy and Systemic Change:<\/strong> Claire emphasizes the need for advocacy and systemic change to address the root causes of hunger and poverty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-quotes\"><strong>Key Quotes:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWe represent a large percentage of the overall charitable food system in the country, with approximately 200 partner food banks. We are where hunger is.\u201d <\/em>\u2013 Claire Babineaux-Fontenot<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWe have the best job on the planet. Every day we get to get up and be superheroes for people.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Joan Garry<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-claire-babineaux-fontenot\"><strong>About Claire Babineaux-Fontenot:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Claire Babineaux-Fontenot is a leader and advocate dedicated to combating hunger and strengthening communities. Her decades-long service in social justice and humanitarian efforts is emblematic of her unwavering commitment to working alongside people experiencing food insecurity to create sustainable, equitable solutions in the movement to end hunger. Since 2018, Claire has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Feeding America, a network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries, and meal programs. Feeding America has been recognized as the largest charity in the United States since 2022, according to Forbes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to joining Feeding America, Claire led effective teams for three decades, including 13 years on Walmart\u2019s leadership team, most recently as executive vice president and global treasurer, where she had global responsibility for tax, treasury operations, capital markets, investor relations, global risk management, casualty, and self-insurance, leading teams across 28 countries and over 1,000 associates worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Louisiana native, Claire holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas. Claire was named one of Time\u2019s 100 Most Influential People of 2020. In 2021, she was honored with PRWeek\u2019s Communicator of the Year award and Southern Methodist University\u2019s Distinguished Alumni Award.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Claire was among Forbes 50 over 50 in 2022, and in 2023, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities honored Claire with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Her relentless pursuit of an equitable, hunger-free America exemplifies her as a trailblazer and a compassionate advocate for social justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-resources\"><strong>Resources:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/clairebabineaux-fontenot\">Claire Babineaux-Fontenot LinkedIn<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.feedingamerica.org\/\">Feed America Website<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FeedingAmerica\">Feeding America Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/feedingamerica\">Feeding America Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FeedingAmerica\">Feeding America Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/42Qj6gU\">Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nonprofitleadershiplab.com\/podcast\">Nonprofit Leadership Lab<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/y46jnuqs\">Joan Garry\u2019s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership \u2013 2nd Edition by Joan Garry<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nonprofitleadershiplab.com\/free\/fixmyboard\/?kfl_ln=nonprofits-are-messy-podcast\">FREE WORKSHOP: Let\u2019s Build the Nonprofit Board of Your Dreams!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nonprofitleadershiplab.com\/free\/5practices\/?kfl_ln=nonprofits-are-messy-podcast\">FREE WORKSHOP: The 5 Practices of Outstanding Nonprofit Leaders<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Music by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jukeboxtheghost.com\/\">Jukebox the Ghost<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Voiceover Work by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cindycapsolutions.com\/\">Cindy Cap Solutions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are \u201caffiliate links.\u201d This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s 16 CFR, Part 255: \u201cGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like me, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot moved from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector with zero previous experience in nonprofit work. In this episode, she shares her inspiring story of how and why she shifted her focus to step into her most impactful work yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":596956,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[57,59],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-596955","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-nonprofit-leadership"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.9 (Yoast SEO v24.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ep 207: Feeding America (with Claire Babineaux-Fontenot)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how Claire Babineaux-Fontenot went from Walmart to CEO of Feeding America, leading the fight against hunger with passion and strategic vision.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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