We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jack Griffin. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Jack, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
To use my voice – any forum where I can use my voice to make people laugh or feel something powerful will always call my name. Whatever my next chapter will be, being able to express myself and leave impressions that only I can is a must.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi I’m Jack! I’m the Founder of FoodFinder, a nonprofit that uses our website and mobile app to help hungry Americans find and get help from their closest food pantries. Not only are we the only national hunger relief charity headquartered in Atlanta, but we’re also the largest database of food banks and food pantries ever assembled in the U.S..
We exist because if families in need can only get help from programs they know about. We connect the people looking for help with the amazing programs already on the ground in their communities who offer it. In pursuit of this mission, our food pantry locator has connected more than 3 million Americans to food aid near them. Most famously, FoodFinder served 1 out of every 6 Americans nationally who searched for free food aid in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19. However with the government shutdown right now at the time of writing, the demand for our food pantry locator is the highest its been in our 11 year history.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That what’s normal or commonly accepted is the best way to do it or to be. Like a lot of us I’m sure, I didn’t want to be seen as different or be othered growing up, but in my time as an adult I’ve found that those who are “different” are usually the most interesting and have the most worthwhile things to say. I’ve really learned to appreciate uniqueness in recent years, both in myself and in others.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I was very close to giving up on FoodFinder 10 years ago as we tried to become the first-ever guide to every food pantry in Georgia. Many of the experts I spoke with were quick to dismiss the idea as impossible or even ridicule the need for a better solution when current solutions like help hotlines existed. Of course, it were the ways in which those existing search processes were failing hungry families that gave rise to the need for a much faster and more dignified way to find help. My parents were hugely helpful in not letting me get too down after these very difficult meetings – they helped me realize that just because someone who’s “qualified” gives you advice doesn’t mean you have to take their word as gospel.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Outside of uses in the medical and legal fields, I truly think the negatives of AI, particularly the energy consumption needed for generative AI, far outweigh the benefits. Especially in a landscape where the most vulnerable populations are already paying the price of environmental harm caused by corporations, I see nothing even resembling guardrails or long-term planning with regards to the skyrocketing energy demand caused by AI.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Wanting to be perfect or 100% prepared before taking a chance in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://foodfinder.us/
- Instagram: @foodfinderus
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-griffin-316ba7110/
