Mark Maynard, a longtime restaurant industry leader and Chefs Cycle rider, has named No Kid Hungry as a beneficiary in his will, a decision rooted in the belief that kids can't reach and exceed their potential if they're too hungry to learn.
"When I left Union Square Hospitality Group, I made a promise to myself that I wanted to help people reach and exceed their potential," Mark shared. "And the reason I use the word exceed is that so many of us have barriers, either personal barriers that we put up or external barriers that are put up."
Growing up in Eastern Connecticut in a small working class community, he witnessed first hand how many of his classmates struggled with hunger.
"I knew some really smart kids, and they struggled with food insecurity," he said. "I know that held them back and hurt their job prospects."
He witnessed the same pattern working in the restaurant industry. He saw how many restaurant workers came from challenging situations, some of them living in shelters and relying on soup kitchens for food. The job didn't only provide essential income, but also two meals a day for people working.
Mark's connection to No Kid Hungry dates back to these days. He connected to our work with the restaurant industry through Share Our Strength, the organization behind No Kid Hungry.
But it wasn't until 2017, when he participated in Chefs Cycle, a fundraising cycling event geared toward restaurant industry leaders, for the first time that he started becoming more connected to our mission. In his most recent participation at Chefs Cycle this year, the connection solidified. He heard a speech from our CEO, Anne Filipic driving the importance of these challenging moments for kids and families and our long term mission of ending childhood hunger.
"She gave an incredible speech, and connecting that to two days of suffering on a bike made it real in a way it never had been," Mark shared. "I felt fully connected to the mission."
It was at Chefs Cycle this year that Mark shared news he hadn't told anyone else. He had just redone his will, and made No Kid Hungry a beneficiary. He mentioned it to Share Our Strength co-founder Billy Shore almost in passing.
For Mark, the decision was both practical and personal. His kids are grown now "no longer on my payroll," as he jokes. But it also connects to a purpose he's been building since leaving Union Square Hospitality Group in 2022 to write a book about helping people reach and exceed their potential.
That same purpose is what shapes his answer when asked what he'd tell a friend weighing where to put their own legacy gift. "Convincing is hard. Informing is easier," Mark said. What stands out to him about No Kid Hungry, he explained, is that its work operates on more than one level at once shaping policy while also funding the people and organizations closest to the need. "Your work has a direct impact. So you have short-term impact and long-term impact, and that's something that I think is unique."
Mark knows he won't be here to see the results of his gift firsthand. "I won't ever see it," he said. But when asked what he hopes it means for the kids who will never know his name, his answer circled back to the same idea of potential.
"I just hope that in some small way there are people who are able to achieve something that they wouldn't even have thought of," he said. "So much of what holds us back is what we don't even see, what we don't even think is possible... it's not just filling your belly, it's creating opportunities for people."
To learn more about creating your own legacy for kids, contact Donna Batcho, Director of Planned Giving, at legacy@strength.org or visit our planned giving resources page.
