Sheldon Baker05.20.11
Since 1999, Mary Morton has served as the program and communications director for Nourish America, an award-winning national charity that provides nourishing foods and supplements to impoverished Americans. Last year, Nourish America provided almost $3.5 million worth of nutritional products to almost 200,000 Americans in need, including more than 30,000 children, 1200 pregnant mothers, 32,000 seniors and 100,000 disaster victims. In 2008, her disaster relief effort during Hurricane Ike won Nourish America honors from the Texas House of Representatives. Morton has written about patient's rights and healthcare education since 1989. In 1997, she co-authored Five Steps to Selecting the Best Alternative Medicine. Today, she lives with her husband Michael and her two children in Ojai, CA. The organization’s website is www.NourishAmerica.org.
Health E-Insights: Nourish America has come a long way since starting in the 1990s.
Ms. Morton: What strikes me most when comparing today’s Nourish America to Nourish America in the early days is the size of the organization. Nourish America started on a small corner desk in my home on the Central Coast of California. Our first program at that time was a pilot project at one homeless shelter in San Luis Obispo where we had about 50 participants. Today, we have more than a thousand schools, agencies and organizations that serve as Nourish America’s distribution arm. The staff of these organizations volunteer their time to distribute the foods and supplements that we provide for low income and homeless children, families, seniors, teens, pregnant mothers as well as disaster victims and first responders. These organizations and schools span from Alaska to Florida and from the West to the East Coast. Over the course of 11 years, we have nourished over a million people.
Health E-Insights: How do you select which groups to work with?
Ms. Morton: We have always tried to work with the organizations, schools and agencies that ask for Nourish America’s help. However, particularly since the economic downturn, there is far more need then donations of products. We do our best to be fair to each of our partners. Each agency or organization that requests to receive product from Nourish America submits an application that is reviewed by the staff. If they are found to be a reputable organization that can verify that they serve those in need and that they can responsibly store and distribute nutritional products that our donors entrust to us, we are happy to work with them.
Health E-Insights: Who did you turn to during those dark times running Nourish America?
Ms. Morton: It was very rough when the economic downturn struck. We almost had to close our doors. So we turned to our friends in the natural products industry. There were many companies that helped us get through it—Tishcon Corp, New Chapter, NOW Foods, Clif Bar Family Foundation, Alacer Corp., Sigma-Tau Health Science, Healthy Directions, I am enlightened nutrition, Kay’s Naturals, ACTIVATE Drinks, Natural Alternatives International and Christie Communications are just some of them. But truly, it has been quite heartening for Michael (Michael Morton, Mary’s husband and executive director) and I to learn first-hand from our supporters that the work we do at Nourish America is valued by many individuals and companies. As a result of our colleagues in the industry, word has spread about Nourish America’s mission and we have recently welcomed five new board members who are accomplished, successful professionals and are excited to work with us to strengthen and expand Nourish America. So the future looks bright for our organization.
Health E-Insights: What are a few things currently on the Nourish America wish list?
Ms. Morton: Certainly, number one is monthly donations of cash to help Nourish America stay strong. We also have an immediate need for two things—a manufacturer who will donate 34,000 bottles, the packaging, the caps, and labels for a generous bulk donation of two million children’s chewable multivitamins from Tishcon Corp. and a donation of up to one year of high quality multivitamins for the 10,000 men and women in the National Guard in Iowa. In addition, we always welcome donations of nourishing foods and nutritional supplements. At this time, we have a particular need for daily multivitamins for children and for seniors. Unfortunately some of our donors have had a tough time with the economy too and have had to scale back their product donations to Nourish America. We would welcome new partnerships with manufacturers who see value in cause marketing and would like to contribute nutrition to our programs. We would love to be able to continue to serve again the Head Start and Senior Community Centers that have relied on our products to help their clients. Also on our wish list are protein bars and meal replacement drinks. These, in addition to daily supplements, have substantial nutritional content in a delivery form that is easy to digest. For children who are malnourished, the faster we can raise their nutritional level the sooner they will start to thrive and succeed.
Health E-Insights: Can you share a story touches you?
Ms. Morton: When we began our children’s program at Nourish America, we expected to improve health and hoped to do more. But that was the goal—improving health. A few months after the program started, we asked the parents and teachers of the participating children to tell us about changes or improvements they saw in the children since beginning daily multivitamins. The gratitude that the parents shared was deeply moving. The improvements they reported spanned the children’s entire experience: improved sleep, more energy, playing more, happier, better concentration, higher grades, more friends, better attitudes, choosing healthier foods, taking better care of themselves, being kinder to their parents—all of this, plus less illness. But to me, there was one girl in particular who described just how life changing Nourish America’s programs can be. Michelle was a young sixth grader who lived in a public housing project in Washington D.C. A very tough environment. Before she started our program, she had some serious academic and behavioral problems at school. She told us, “Before Nourish America, I never got an ‘A’. Now I get all ‘A’s’ and I’m going to be a doctor.” Michael has a favorite one too. It’s just a short two sentences from a mom—“My child is laughing again. Thank you.”
Health E-Insights: Because of your relationship with Michael, is Nourish America a 24/7 job?
Ms. Morton: I think it runs in cycles. Being that we are a staff of two, there are times when it seems Nourish America is what Michael and I eat, sleep and breathe around the clock. Usually it is because there is something unusual, exciting and worthwhile happening, such as a fast moving disaster relief response. Other times, because we have done this work for quite a while now, a routine kicks in that is predictable. So putting it aside for the weekend or for the holiday is easy in most cases. With all the recent changes at Nourish America, it is definitely busy again.
Health E-Insights: What would people find surprising about you?
Ms. Morton: I’ve had earlier chapters in my life when I did very different work then I do today. In my 20’s, I was a professional actress and singer. With my colleagues, we performed for members of British royalty and won awards, some impressive reviews and standing ovations at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. It was quite a time.
Editor’s note: Nourish America is partnering with the National Foundation for Women Legislators and U.S. State representatives such as Alabama State Senator Linda Coleman to provide critical nutrition to disaster survivors and emergency workers as part of the tornado relief efforts following the natural disaster that recently took place in the Southeastern area of the U.S. Because of the damage this spring’s natural disasters have caused in many states, Nourish America recently expanded its relief efforts to include Tunica, MS, a community that first sustained tornado damage and now flooding. This is in partnership with State Representative Clara Burnett. There is also a St. Louis, MO partnership with County Commissioner Hazel Erby and Congressman Lacey Clay, as thousands of home in that community look like life-sized doll houses with roofs and outside walls of homes were blown free. Nourish America may soon be adding additional sites in Tennessee and Louisiana.
For more information and interview consideration, contact Sheldon Baker at sbaker@bakerdillon.com or visit his website at www.bakerdillon.com. And check out his blog at www.NutraInk.com.
Health E-Insights: Nourish America has come a long way since starting in the 1990s.
Ms. Morton: What strikes me most when comparing today’s Nourish America to Nourish America in the early days is the size of the organization. Nourish America started on a small corner desk in my home on the Central Coast of California. Our first program at that time was a pilot project at one homeless shelter in San Luis Obispo where we had about 50 participants. Today, we have more than a thousand schools, agencies and organizations that serve as Nourish America’s distribution arm. The staff of these organizations volunteer their time to distribute the foods and supplements that we provide for low income and homeless children, families, seniors, teens, pregnant mothers as well as disaster victims and first responders. These organizations and schools span from Alaska to Florida and from the West to the East Coast. Over the course of 11 years, we have nourished over a million people.
Health E-Insights: How do you select which groups to work with?
Ms. Morton: We have always tried to work with the organizations, schools and agencies that ask for Nourish America’s help. However, particularly since the economic downturn, there is far more need then donations of products. We do our best to be fair to each of our partners. Each agency or organization that requests to receive product from Nourish America submits an application that is reviewed by the staff. If they are found to be a reputable organization that can verify that they serve those in need and that they can responsibly store and distribute nutritional products that our donors entrust to us, we are happy to work with them.
Health E-Insights: Who did you turn to during those dark times running Nourish America?
Ms. Morton: It was very rough when the economic downturn struck. We almost had to close our doors. So we turned to our friends in the natural products industry. There were many companies that helped us get through it—Tishcon Corp, New Chapter, NOW Foods, Clif Bar Family Foundation, Alacer Corp., Sigma-Tau Health Science, Healthy Directions, I am enlightened nutrition, Kay’s Naturals, ACTIVATE Drinks, Natural Alternatives International and Christie Communications are just some of them. But truly, it has been quite heartening for Michael (Michael Morton, Mary’s husband and executive director) and I to learn first-hand from our supporters that the work we do at Nourish America is valued by many individuals and companies. As a result of our colleagues in the industry, word has spread about Nourish America’s mission and we have recently welcomed five new board members who are accomplished, successful professionals and are excited to work with us to strengthen and expand Nourish America. So the future looks bright for our organization.
Health E-Insights: What are a few things currently on the Nourish America wish list?
Ms. Morton: Certainly, number one is monthly donations of cash to help Nourish America stay strong. We also have an immediate need for two things—a manufacturer who will donate 34,000 bottles, the packaging, the caps, and labels for a generous bulk donation of two million children’s chewable multivitamins from Tishcon Corp. and a donation of up to one year of high quality multivitamins for the 10,000 men and women in the National Guard in Iowa. In addition, we always welcome donations of nourishing foods and nutritional supplements. At this time, we have a particular need for daily multivitamins for children and for seniors. Unfortunately some of our donors have had a tough time with the economy too and have had to scale back their product donations to Nourish America. We would welcome new partnerships with manufacturers who see value in cause marketing and would like to contribute nutrition to our programs. We would love to be able to continue to serve again the Head Start and Senior Community Centers that have relied on our products to help their clients. Also on our wish list are protein bars and meal replacement drinks. These, in addition to daily supplements, have substantial nutritional content in a delivery form that is easy to digest. For children who are malnourished, the faster we can raise their nutritional level the sooner they will start to thrive and succeed.
Health E-Insights: Can you share a story touches you?
Ms. Morton: When we began our children’s program at Nourish America, we expected to improve health and hoped to do more. But that was the goal—improving health. A few months after the program started, we asked the parents and teachers of the participating children to tell us about changes or improvements they saw in the children since beginning daily multivitamins. The gratitude that the parents shared was deeply moving. The improvements they reported spanned the children’s entire experience: improved sleep, more energy, playing more, happier, better concentration, higher grades, more friends, better attitudes, choosing healthier foods, taking better care of themselves, being kinder to their parents—all of this, plus less illness. But to me, there was one girl in particular who described just how life changing Nourish America’s programs can be. Michelle was a young sixth grader who lived in a public housing project in Washington D.C. A very tough environment. Before she started our program, she had some serious academic and behavioral problems at school. She told us, “Before Nourish America, I never got an ‘A’. Now I get all ‘A’s’ and I’m going to be a doctor.” Michael has a favorite one too. It’s just a short two sentences from a mom—“My child is laughing again. Thank you.”
Health E-Insights: Because of your relationship with Michael, is Nourish America a 24/7 job?
Ms. Morton: I think it runs in cycles. Being that we are a staff of two, there are times when it seems Nourish America is what Michael and I eat, sleep and breathe around the clock. Usually it is because there is something unusual, exciting and worthwhile happening, such as a fast moving disaster relief response. Other times, because we have done this work for quite a while now, a routine kicks in that is predictable. So putting it aside for the weekend or for the holiday is easy in most cases. With all the recent changes at Nourish America, it is definitely busy again.
Health E-Insights: What would people find surprising about you?
Ms. Morton: I’ve had earlier chapters in my life when I did very different work then I do today. In my 20’s, I was a professional actress and singer. With my colleagues, we performed for members of British royalty and won awards, some impressive reviews and standing ovations at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. It was quite a time.
Editor’s note: Nourish America is partnering with the National Foundation for Women Legislators and U.S. State representatives such as Alabama State Senator Linda Coleman to provide critical nutrition to disaster survivors and emergency workers as part of the tornado relief efforts following the natural disaster that recently took place in the Southeastern area of the U.S. Because of the damage this spring’s natural disasters have caused in many states, Nourish America recently expanded its relief efforts to include Tunica, MS, a community that first sustained tornado damage and now flooding. This is in partnership with State Representative Clara Burnett. There is also a St. Louis, MO partnership with County Commissioner Hazel Erby and Congressman Lacey Clay, as thousands of home in that community look like life-sized doll houses with roofs and outside walls of homes were blown free. Nourish America may soon be adding additional sites in Tennessee and Louisiana.
For more information and interview consideration, contact Sheldon Baker at sbaker@bakerdillon.com or visit his website at www.bakerdillon.com. And check out his blog at www.NutraInk.com.
