Classy Art Joins Forces with Million Meal Movement to Fight Hunger

February 10, 2021  by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Knowing that food poverty is an ongoing concern, exacerbated as the global health crisis continues, Cohen went on the hunt for an organization that aligned with Classy Art’s grassroots values and where their donation dollars could be maximized. He found a perfect match in the Million Meal Movement, a group that focuses on fighting hunger while encouraging volunteerism and activism. As a result of this partnership, Classy Art has committed to providing one meal to a hungry American child for every single unit sold. Wishing he started this last year, Cohen says they would have provided over 77,000 meals, but with his aggressive growth goals he intends to supply over 100,000 meals in 2021 alone and many more in the years to come.

“With Million Meal, our donation can be far more important than just another number on a page,” Cohen said. “It’s a small, independent movement. We liked that they were young like us, we liked their vibe, what they stood for, and definitely the impact they are making.”

The Million Meal Movement is based on two principles—feeding the hungry and providing opportunities for volunteers to be directly involved in the process. They hold community packing events, where people of all ages can come together to help nourish their neighbors. Since the group’s inception, the Million Meal Movement has donated nearly 31.5 million meals to fellow Americans by stocking food pantries and banks around the state with pre-packaged boxes of nutrient-rich staples. Classy Art is working with the movement to see that their donations go towards assisting children, and Cohen is excited to see their contributions in action.

“Million Meal is keeping us very involved in the process,” the wall décor manufacturer said, “They asked us how we wanted the funds allocated, and we indicated that we want to make sure we’re helping children. With our donations, they’re going to take the materials to a school where students will volunteer to package the meals that will be going directly to that same school and neighboring schools in need of help.”

The overwhelming statistics about hunger and food poverty nationwide mean that Million Meal’s mission and Classy Art’s support are timelier than ever. It’s estimated that one in every five children in America suffers from food insecurity, and that number has been steadily on the rise.

Members of the Classy Art team were recently able to join a live Million Meals packing event, and Cohen said the experience was unique. He explained that the events function as a cooperative project to package large quantities of food efficiently.

Cohen hopes that Classy Art’s involvement with the Million Meals Movement will inspire other businesses to find new connections and take a stand against hunger and other societal issues.

“We aim to feed as many children as we can, but that’s not the only mission,” Cohen said. “We have a core focus at Classy Art and that’s to ‘aspire, inspire, and create life-long relationships.’ Our main mission is to inspire other organizations to use their power to help those in need. I fear that our culture is too focused on earning profits, but we should have a shared sense of responsibility for the greater good of our community.”