Feeding Community: Dan Zauderer on Multiplying Meals, Connection, & Impact in New York City
“We're tackling the crisis of food insecurity, but we're also tackling this epidemic of disconnection. And we're building bridges and building connections that people are just craving right now.” –Dan Zauderer
What if joy fed more than just the soul? What if it could fill a parking lot with a hundred volunteers, rescue pallets of unpurchased food, and drive it city-wide to families in need?
It’s no fantasy. In the Bronx and Greater New York City, it’s happening.
For Grassroots Grocery founder Dan Zauderer, what started as a single community refrigerator has exploded into a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors, full of genuine fun, memories shared, and countless families fed.
What he’s found? The joy just keeps on growing.
In this episode, Dan shares:
- The serendipitous makings of Grassroots Grocery and its growth from a single community refrigerator to a thriving nonprofit
- Why he thinks joy and connection are the reason for his volunteer waitlist
- How he uses technology to create a more human experience
- What he’s learning about boundaries and growth in mutual aid leadership
*This episode includes a clip from an interview originally aired on the TODAY Show. That content is the property of NBCUniversal Media, LLC and is used here for informational purposes only. For the full segment, click here.
Links
Key Takeaways
-
Engage volunteers on a human level. Grassroots Grocery goes beyond tackling food insecurity and intentionally addresses loneliness and disconnection. Programs that connect not just with the shared values, but also with the humanity of volunteers, can unlock deeper engagement that creates stronger volunteer retention.
-
Use technology to amplify human connection, not replace it. Grassroots Grocery’s technology removes friction so that energy, impact, and fun can emerge. Use technology to make more room for your team and volunteers to do the real human work of your mission.
-
Get comfortable with saying no. In a world with infinite opportunities to help people, nonprofit leaders must keep the organization focused to maximize impact. Saying “no” saves space to say yes to more mission- or strength-aligned endeavors.
Meet the Guest
Dan Zauderer is the founder and CEO of Grassroots Grocery, a Bronx-based nonprofit advancing food justice by cultivating a community of neighbors helping neighbors. Dan is a community builder and social entrepreneur with roots in teaching, building Grassroots Grocery after learning that one in four of his Bronx-based students were food insecure. Dan leads the dynamic, warehouse-free model by rallying people for good—from community leaders to corporate teams—and is committed to scaling the movement while centering joy, dignity, and human connection.
