Join Our
Board of Directors
Joining our Board of Directors offers a meaningful opportunity to contribute your skills and passion toward advancing Spoons Across America's vision and mission. If you're interested in pursuing a Board position, please click the link below or download our physical application to mail in.
Creating Food Explorers for Life
Our Mission, Purpose, and Philosophy
Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization based in New York City, whose mission is to redefine the way children view food, impress upon them the benefits of a healthy meal, encourage family dinners, and empower parents to influence food policy in their local communities.
The best way to instill healthy eating habits for life is to develop them in childhood. This is where Spoons Across America seeks to address these key issues with progressive programming and cultivates critical thinking to consider how their choices impact their bodies and communities. Through Food Exploration programs, we can reach children and families across America who live in neighborhoods that are oversaturated with heavily marketed, cheaply priced food from convenience stores and fast-food restaurants and not enough affordable, healthy, whole foods.
We also encourage the important ritual of family dinners. Studies show that children and teens who regularly have dinner with their parent(s) at home are 85% more likely to avoid academic problems, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, violence, and suicide. The process of sitting down and checking in keeps them connected to their adults and ultimately strengthens them as members of the community.
Specific Board Member
Roles & Responsibilities
The Board will support the work of Spoons Across America and provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. While day-to-day operations are led by Spoons Across America’s Executive Director, the Board-ED relationship is a partnership, and the appropriate involvement of the Board is both critical and expected. Together with the rest of the Board, each Director is responsible for ensuring effective and fiscally sound programs and operations by providing vision, leadership, advice, and direction to Spoons Across America.
Leadership, Governance
& Oversight
• Serving as a trusted advisor to the ED as they develop and implement Spoons Across America’s strategic plan.
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• Reviewing outcomes and metrics created by Spoons Across America for evaluating its impact, and regularly measuring its performance and effectiveness using those metrics.
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• Reviewing agenda and supporting materials prior to board and committee meetings.
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• Approving Spoons Across America’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
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• Serving on committees or task forces and taking on special assignments.
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• Representing Spoons Across America to stakeholders; acting as an advocate and ambassador for the organization.
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• Ensuring Spoons Across America’s commitment to a diverse board and staff.
Fundraising
Spoons Across America Board Members will consider Spoons Across America a philanthropic priority and make annual gifts that reflect that priority. So that Spoons Across America can credibly solicit contributions from foundations, organizations, and individuals, Spoons Across America expects to have 100 percent of Board Members make an annual contribution that is commensurate with their capacity.
• Make a personal financial contribution to Spoons Across America as determined annually by the Board.
• Solicit the financial support of others, including employers and friends.
• Share resources and talents including expertise.
Board Terms
& Participation
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Spoons Across America Board Members will serve a three (3) year term. Board meetings will be held quarterly and committee meetings will be held in coordination with full board meetings. Board Members will be expected to:
• Maintain knowledge of current programs and staff of Spoons Across America.
• Be accessible, at least by phone, to staff and other Board Directors as needed.
• Hold in confidence any proprietary information given to Board Directors.
Qualifications
• Specific experience and/or knowledge in at least one of the following areas: administration; board functions; program development; finance; fundraising; public relations; or marketing.
• A commitment to and understanding of Spoons Across America’s mission, programs, and beneficiaries.
• Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for improving the lives of Spoons Across America’s beneficiaries.
• Ability to work as a team.
