Meet Do Something Awards Winner Adam Lowy

Adam’s great-grandfather started a moving company over 90 years ago, and in working with his family, Adam has seen firsthand the amount of food that people throw away when they move. He recognized the potential of this wasted food and founded Move for Hunger, which works with moving companies to strengthen our nation’s food banks. Move for Hunger currently works with 130 moving companies across 32 states and has collected 150,000 pounds of food for food banks.

Awards Video

Exclusive Interview

We asked Adam a few questions about what inspired him to start Move for Hunger and what he hopes to accomplish in the future.

DoSomething.org: How did you feel when you first learned of the problem you’re addressing?

Adam Lowy: Growing up, I never really thought about hunger. Hunger was always “somewhere else” or “not in my community.” I feel this is a common thought for many people in America who have never known what it is to go hungry. However, once I started to delve into the issue of food insecurity in this country, I was shocked to discover that 1 in 6 Americans do not have enough to eat. Out of this number, 17 million are children. As a country typically known for all we have, it is really upsetting to think of all those kids who go to bed hungry every night.

DS: How do you feel about it now?

AL: I have had the opportunity to visit a ton of food banks across the country since founding Move For Hunger. Growing up, I used to think that food banks were sad places handing out food to homeless people. Boy, was I wrong! In fact, the majority of people visiting food banks are the “working poor.” These individuals have one or two incomes; however, after paying for rent, gas, and utilities, there is simply not enough money left to purchase food.

I have found food banks to be some of the most inspirational places I have ever visited. They serve an important role in closing the poverty gap and offering people the support they need to get back on their feet. While I’m upset there is such a great need, I am happy to be a part of the solution!

DS: What person or experience sticks with you from when you first started your project?

AL: My family has owned a moving company in New Jersey for over 90 years, and I remember suggesting to my Dad to ask some of the people he was moving to donate their unwanted food. That month we collected over 350 lbs for our local food bank. Bringing that much food to the food bank was a feeling I’ll never forget. If our one little moving company in New Jersey could collect so much, I couldn’t help but think what could thousands of movers do?

DS: Who or what is your inspiration to keep going?

AL: I quit my job marketing luxury cars and setting up golf events to try and make a difference in this world. Here I was with a great job, which should have felt like a great accomplishment, but somehow it just didn’t feel like I was doing anything productive. Just knowing that my idea has the power to feed people is more than enough inspiration to keep going. My goal is to build Move For Hunger to become one of the largest, year-round food service organizations in America. Every day, I challenge myself to engage more people and collect more food.

DS: Can you describe the moment you knew that you were actually making a difference?

AL: Before we really started moving (pun intended), we tested our idea with about seven other movers across the country. The first time we saw one of our test movers collect food for their local food bank, I knew that what I was doing would work. This was no longer just me and my family’s moving company serving our community: We had created something sustainable that other movers could be proud of as well. To date, Move For Hunger works with over 145 movers in 35 states. Together, we have collected nearly 200,000 lbs of food for food banks across America. We’re only two years into the organization, and I’m really excited about continuing our momentum for the future.

DS: What was the most difficult roadblock you faced when you tried to start your project? When you were growing it?

AL: The most difficult roadblock I faced when starting Move For Hunger was the realization that not every moving company would want to participate in what I feel is a very simple idea. I made tons of phone calls in the beginning and some people were just not interested in getting involved. It’s really hard to hear that kind of rejection when you’re so excited about something, but I feel it motivated me to prove that Move For Hunger was something that could make an impact.

The biggest challenge in growing an organization based on goodwill and philanthropy is keeping our network of movers motivated. This is something new and different for the moving and transportation industry. We are literally mobilizing this entire industry for change. It is only now, after two years, that we have been able to change the way we communicate with our movers and keep them enthusiastic about hunger relief on a daily basis. Seeing the food donation receipts come in is my favorite part of the work day!

DS: What’s been the biggest lesson through the process?

AL: The most important thing I’ve learned is to sit back and listen to the people who have something to say about my organization (both positive and critical). I’ve learned to forget about the notion of being shy. Every conversation, meeting, and event holds an opportunity to improve the organization and myself.

DS: What has surprised you the most about the journey that has taken you here today?

AL: The biggest surprise has been the incredible need for hunger relief in this country and how much it has risen. This really hit home when I looked at some of the statistics in my own community.

Over 127,000 people living in Monmouth & Ocean Counties received emergency food assistance in 2010. 40 percent of those in need are children. This is an 84 percent increase since 2006. It’s still hard to believe that there is such great need in a community surrounded by wealth on the Jersey Shore.

DS: What advice do you have for other young leaders who are having a tough time getting their ideas off of the ground?

AL: Dream big and act bigger. If you truly believe in your idea, you’ll be able to talk about it with honesty and enthusiasm, and people will listen to you. There are a million ideas out there; don’t be afraid to make yours heard. Your job is to show people why you are the best at what you do.

DS: If you could have done one thing differently based on what you know now, what would it be and why?

AL: I would've put more time into a formal strategic plan in the beginning rather than focusing just on our organization’s mission. My board and I have been working to complete our strategic plan now over the past few months, and already it has shown us great insight into our strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and goals for the future. While I’m excited to move forward on this now, it definitely would have been easier to dedicate more time to this roadmap in the beginning stages rather than two years down the road.

DS: What’s next for your project?

AL: We hope eventually to partner with every major moving van line in the country. These partnerships will offer not only financial support to our organization, but awareness and engagement on the part of their moving agents. The more moving companies we get involved, the greater our impact will be. Every move is an opportunity to give back.

Bonus Question: If you could have any celebrity film a PSA for you, who would it be and why?

AL: Bruce Springsteen would be an excellent celebrity spokesman for Move For Hunger. As a New Jersey native, I’ve gotten to know a great deal about the amount of support Bruce gives to food banks here and across the country. At almost every show, he lets the food banks hold collections on the way out and is an incredible advocate for their work. Bruce’s music also continues to excite fans across the country young and old. Plus, it never hurts to have the Boss on your side.