Effective Organization With Integrated Planning Processes

Harvesters' partner network consists of several large and medium-sized local organizations, as well as a number of local school districts. Harvesters provide donors and volunteers with an understanding of the difference they make through their efforts. There are many opportunities to host volunteer groups of 100+ and the potential to expand and engage the community in multiple ways. Harvesters is an efficient organization with integrated planning, goal-setting, budgeting, and fundraising processes. They are data-driven, leverage technology and incorporate measurements in determining progress to goals and efficiencies. They have accurate data to enable efficiencies and cost savings. It has relatively low administrative and fundraising costs when compared to other organizations, both for-profit and non-profit.

Harvesters’ staff is effective, committed and diverse. A low turnover rate and a quality work environment enhance organization stability and the ability to develop staff capacity and continuity of leadership. Harvesters' hunger network of partner agencies, programs and collaborations is large, strong, stable, reliable, and broad across 26 counties in two states. The board is effective in governance and building community linkages. Service on Harvesters Board is viewed as very desirable. The board consists of people who are major influencers in Kansas City and many whose sole focus is on community service.

The ever-changing mix of food products available challenges Harvesters’ ability and stresses the capital resources available to acquire, store and distribute food. Their transportation and distribution infrastructure is aging and at capacity. Their agency distribution model faces challenges in operations and the ability and resources to accept, store and distribute the changing mix of food available at the capacity needed. In an increasingly competitive employment market, they are challenged to recruit and maintain adequate and skilled staff levels to meet the program, distribution, technology, administrative and support needs of the organization.

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Their operating reserve at less than 3 months of operating expense has not grown in proportion to the organization’s growth. While their resource areas individually are strong, there is increasing need to build, build on and cultivate relationships across all areas. They have limited opportunity for growth for on-site engagement with volunteers. They face challenges to match volunteers and production needs and continue to assure a quality experience for volunteers. They have limited partnerships with organizations that provide complimentary services that address both food insecurity and promote client stability.

The numbers of children, seniors and families facing hunger remains high. As the economy strengthens and interest in health and nutrition increases, there is an opportunity to change the conversation from “crisis” to healthy communities and positive outcomes. There is opportunity to grow new programs and clients across Harvesters’ service area and advocate for programs and policies that alleviate hunger and food insecurity. Food is available. While the mix continually changes from shelf stable to perishable, the changes provide opportunities to develop new and non-traditional distribution models. Increasing awareness around the issue of reducing food waste, the environmental impacts and health provider education and food sourcing opportunities.

Demographic changes across Harvesters’ service area in terms of geographic, racial and ethnic composition, age and family types provide increased opportunity for diverse community engagement and enhancing a culture of philanthropy. Rising interest in civic engagement and volunteerism among active retirees and young professionals creates a broad pool of potential volunteers. Options for community engagement increase with the development of new technologies and online platforms for connecting interested food donors, fund donors, and individuals with hunger, Harvesters’ programs and calls to action. Virtual volunteering, micro volunteering or short periods of time to volunteer, all social networking and food donor/agency matching are growth opportunities.

As more corporations develop focused community engagement strategies there are increased opportunities for Harvesters to build and strengthen corporate “business solution” leadership partnerships across all industry sectors and resource areas. Harvesters’ ability to continue to grow multi-year planning and budgeting, team building, staff training and development, succession planning, agency capacity and community engagement will strengthen an already strong reputation, brand recognition and confidence in the organization's ability to steward resources to meet the need now and in the future.

There are opportunities to leverage the power of State Association and Feeding America networks, resources and purchasing power. Food is an international commodity. They face competition from the food industry that aims at reducing waste product. Increasingly, food is sold on the secondary market and overseas. Food is imported from around the world. There are challenges with food safety and food recalls. Changes in the food mix available requires more and different resources to acquire, store and distribute new and plentiful food types available.

While the community provides a diverse base of volunteers, financial donations, food donations and other support they also face challenges in all these areas. Donor fatigue, growing wealth disparity, decline of the middle class, an uneven economic recovery and the public’s perception that the need has declined threaten Harvesters ability to engage the community. Different political parties differ on how to support social safety net programs and particularly if it is the issue of government responsibility to take care of people who need help. Federal budget issues have the potential to significantly reduce and/or eliminate federal nutrition and safety net programs, charitable deductions, and programs like

Increasing numbers of clients are facing rising utility and rents. There are increasing numbers of “food deserts” and population shifts to metropolitan areas. These economic and demographic dynamics coupled with increasing freight, employment costs and a shrinking and /or specialized talent pool undermine Harvesters’ ability to provide emergency service throughout their service area. The pace of change and advances in technology, social media, news media, competition for hiring in competitive fields, (such as IT and transportation) data security, generational and demographic shifts have implications for future leadership, organizational cultures and structure, systems and risks

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