Subject: RE: Update
From: "Randy Russell" <[email-masked]>
To: "Rick Leach" <[email-masked]>, "Abbey Trebilcock" <[email-masked]>, "Anne Marie Person" <[email-masked]>, "Barbara Belmont" <[email-masked]>, "Bonnie Raquet" <[email-masked]>, "Carl Stern " <[email-masked]>, "Dan Glickman" <[email-masked]>, "David Novak" <[email-masked]>, "Donna Hughes" <[email-masked]>, "Dr. Derek Yach" <[email-masked]>, "Dr. Marsha Dubrow" <[email-masked]>, "Frank Corso" <[email-masked]>, "George Economy" <[email-masked]>, "Hunter Biden" <[email-masked]>, "Joan Peugh" <jpe
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:02:49 -0400

Rick, excellent update. Thanks for sharing. Randy

From: Rick Leach [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 4:33 PM
To: Abbey Trebilcock; Anne Marie Person; Barbara Belmont; Bonnie Raquet;
Carl Stern ; Dan Glickman; David Novak; Donna Hughes; Dr. Derek Yach;
Dr. Marsha Dubrow; Frank Corso; George Economy; Hunter Biden; Joan
Peugh; Jonathan Blum; Josie Kummer; Kathryn Johnson; Khaliah Ali;
Kimberly Schmid; Laura Huber; Marshall Matz; Matthew J. Harrington; Pat
Walton Butcher ([email-masked]); Rachel Reeve; Randy
Russell; Rick Leach; Samuel "Sandy" Berger; Shannon Hiskey; Tripp Brown;
Victor Latino ; Glickman, Dan
Subject: Update

Dear Members of the Board,

The following Update describes (1) our efforts to help address
malnutrition in Guatemala, (2) steps taken to implement the Roadmap
recommendations, (3) enhancement of our communications operation and (4)
the status of our annual Awards Ceremony.  It has been a busy summer at
WFP USA. 

Helping Guatemala Address Child Malnutrition

*         The 1000 Days Initiative.  In follow-up to meetings with key
political and private sector leaders in Guatemala, we have been helping
the government develop a nation-wide initiative to address chronic
childhood malnutrition.  Guatemala has the 6th worst child malnutrition
rate in the world (the highest in Latin America) and it ranks 3rd in
prevalence of stunting (after Yemen and Afghanistan).  We urged these
leaders to focus their efforts on the first "1000 Days" - from pregnancy
through age two - because of the irreversible physical and cognitive
damage that results from malnutrition during this period.  The
international community has identified the specific interventions that
can be implemented to treat/prevent malnutrition during this 1000 Day
period.   

*         Political and Private Sector Commitment.  In subsequent
meetings/discussions with the Guatemalan President, key government
ministers and private sector leaders, they expressed strong commitment
to the 1000 Days Initiative.  President Perez agreed to issue an
Executive Order that commits funds and directs all relevant ministries
to participate in full implementation of the Initiative.  Based on this
commitment, we have been engaging the USG and private sector to
participate.  WFP-Guatemala will play a key role in helping the
government implement the initiative.  In addition to addressing
malnutrition, the initiative provides an important tool to help enhance
the government's operational capacity. 

*         The Clinton Global Initiative.  Through the efforts of Sandy
Berger, the Guatemala 1000 Days Initiative will be announced at the
upcoming Clinton Global Initiative meeting in NYC (on September 24th).
President Clinton will participate in the announcement along with
President Perez, private sector leaders, Ertharin Cousin and WFP USA.
The CGI announcement has played an important role in ensuring the
commitment of necessary funds, defining the roles of the public and
private sectors, and in building momentum for the initiative.  It is
possible that Cargill will also make a commitment to the Initiative and
participate in the CGI announcement.  

Moving Forward to Implement the Roadmap Recommendations

*         Roadmap Launch.  On July 24th, we launched the Roadmap for
Continued US Leadership to End Global Hunger at an event in the U.S.
Senate (Hunter - thank you very much for participating in the event).
In addition to our coalition partners, over 200 people attended the
event, including Members of Congress, administration officials, and
business and NGO leaders (50 organizations have endorsed the Roadmap).
As you know, the Roadmap for Continued US Leadership assesses progress
achieved since the initial Roadmap document was released in 2009 and
provides new recommendations to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency
of USG global hunger programs.

*         Meetings with the US Government.  Our Roadmap coalition has
begun a series of meetings with USG representatives to discuss
implementation of the recommendations.  The first meeting was convened
on September 5th and included senior administration officials from the
agencies involved in addressing global hunger (including representatives
from the State Department, USAID, USDA, Peace Corps, OMB and Treasury).
The USG officials were very interested in the recommendations and we
agreed upon a list of specific items to be discussed at the next
meeting/work session.  

*         Legislation to Ensure a Coordinated and Comprehensive
Strategy.  One of the Roadmap recommendations involves coordination of
existing USG operations, which currently cut across many agencies,
around a common/integrated strategy.  In furtherance of this objective,
we drafted legislation that would establish a Global Food Security
Council with a Coordinator to be appointed by the President.  The
legislation was developed with input from our Board's Public Policy
Working Group, administration officials, congressional staff and other
experts.  We have distributed the draft bill for input from NGO partners
and plan to introduce it next year.  

Enhancing the WFP USA Communications Operation

*         Communications Leadership.  I am very happy to announce that
our new Vice President of Communications and Special Projects, Meighan
Stone, joined the WFP USA team on July 16th.  She previously served as
the Communications Director at ONE and most recently ran her own
communications firm which focused on branding, digital content and key
influencer engagement strategies.  Her clients included the FIFA World
Cup, Shakira, Angelique Kidjo, Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation and
the Global Partnership for Education.  She has worked extensively with
the UN, CGI, World Economic Forum, heads of state, the White House and
Congress.

*         Global Festival Concert.  WFP USA is one of a limited number
of principal partners participating in the upcoming "Global Festival"
concert, to be held in New York's Central Park on September 29th (during
CGI and UNGA activities).  The show features top-tier talent (such as
Hugh Jackman and Matt Damon).  WFP USA was integrated into the concert's
web platform - driving social media, email signups and donations which
has already resulted in more than 8500 new supporters added to our
database.   

*         Celebrity Outreach.  WFP USA has a new celebrity supporter,
actress Minka Kelly.  She has agreed to attend the Global Festival
concert as our representative and has already participated  in a
pre-concert Twitter Party with other participating celebrities,
resulting in @WFPUSA being mentioned on Twitter over 500 times in the
following 48 hours (average pick up is less than 10 times a day).  In
addition, we have expanded collaboration with the Creative Artist
Association and are working with them to identify additional celebrity
supporters.  

*         Message Development/Focus Groups.  We engaged the leading
research firm Hart Research to conduct a series of qualitative focus
groups to help with development of our branding, issue messaging,
fundraising and campaign approaches.  The focus groups were conducted
across age/demographic groups in three cities in late August and early
September.  We will present a report on the findings at our October
Board Meeting.    

Award Ceremony

*         Program.  Our annual Award Ceremony is scheduled for the
afternoon of October 3rd in the Franklin Room at the State Department
(the Office of Global Food Security is co-hosting the event with us).
We are very happy to be honoring David Novak and Christina Aguilera for
their leadership in addressing hunger.  We are also paying special
tribute to Secretary Clinton for her unprecedented efforts to mobilize
the international community around a global hunger agenda.  Frank Sesno,
former executive producer at CNN, has agreed to serve as the event
emcee.

*         Sponsors.  We have generated $323,000 in sponsorships.
Sponsors include: YUM! Brands ($100,000), Monsanto ($100,000), Cargill
($50,000), UPS ($25,00) Campbell's Soup ($10,000), DSM ($10,000), Geodis
Wilson ($10,000), US Infrastructure ($10,000), Sealift Holdings($5,000),
Congressional Hunger Center ($1,000), North American Millers Association
($1,000), WISHH ($1,000), Edelman (TBD) and Abbott (TBD).  We hope to
secure $600,000 in sponsorships.

*         The Award.  I am happy to inform you that the sculptor of the
bronze statue that we have presented to honorees over the last few
years, has offered to donate the awards to us.

I look forward to seeing you at the Award Ceremony and Board Meeting.
Thank you very much for your dedication and commitment to the mission of
WFP USA.

All the Best,

Rick

 

Richard Leach

President & CEO

World Food Program USA

1819 L Street NW, Suite 900

Washington, DC 20036

T 202.530.1694

F 202.530.1698

[email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]> 

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