Mark Wainwright is a man on a mission—one driven by faith, service, and a deep commitment to ending food insecurity in underserved communities. As the founder and executive director of It Takes a Village to Feed One Child, Wainwright has dedicated his life to ensuring that no child goes hungry, drawing inspiration from his own experiences growing up in a single-parent household and attending boarding school. With over 30 years as an entrepreneur, he has used those skills to build partnerships with organizations like the USDA and numerous local nonprofits to provide over 150,000 meals monthly. But his vision extends beyond just feeding children—his nonprofit also fosters enrichment, empowerment, and development, equipping young people with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed.
In an exclusive interview with the nation’s faith-based and professional newspaper for winners, Anointed News Journal, Wainwright shares how he has successfully merged business acumen with community service, and his plans to expand his efforts into New Jersey and Delaware.
Collins:
Who is Mark Wainwright?
Wainwright:
First and foremost, Mark Wainwright is a child of God. He is a man who fears God, a Christian man. I’ve been married for—next May, it will be 26 years. I am a father of three; I have two daughters and a son. My son is graduating from high school this year. I have a daughter in college, and my oldest daughter graduated from Temple University back in May. I’m is also an entrepreneur—some people call me a serial entrepreneur. I have been in business for over 30 years. I started my first business back in 1990, and I have been in business ever since on both the for-profit and nonprofit sides.
I am the executive director and founder of “It Takes a Village to Feed One Child.” We started this nonprofit back in 2017. Prior to that, I owned a for-profit food service management company that worked with schools and Head Start programs in three different states—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. In 2017, after spending some time in banking, corporate banking, insurance, and real estate, I returned to feeding children and families in the community with “It Takes a Village to Feed One Child.”
Collins:
So, Mark, let me ask you—what motivated you to start “It Takes a Village to Feed One Child”?
Wainwright:
I grew up in a single-mother household and was sent to boarding school from first through twelfth grade. The boarding school was called Scotland School for Veterans’ Children.
When I entered high school, it was junior ROTC, but I also had to work in the cafeteria. Back in 1987 and 1988, I was fascinated by the quality of food programs we were given in the cafeteria. I said to myself, if I ever had the opportunity to replicate this program in underserved communities, I would. And that is exactly what “It Takes a Village to Feed One Child” does today—it replicates the experience I had back in high school.
Collins:
In this geographical area, we know there are a lot of children who go hungry. Your statement says, “It takes a village to feed one child.” Why did you specify one child instead of children?
Wainwright:
That is a good question. I came up with the name back in 2017. When creating a name, you do research, and people are familiar with the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child.” I simply changed one word—I substituted “feed” for “raise” because my focus was that if I could just feed one child, it would lead to feeding another, and another. Before long, we would be feeding many children. My focus was to address hunger, even if it started with just one child. If everyone took the responsibility of feeding just one child, multiple children would be fed collectively.
Collins:
As an entrepreneur, you are not just feeding children—you also focus on fostering enrichment and empowering development. Tell us about that statement. What is the message you want children to receive from your nonprofit?
Wainwright:
That ties back to the name of our organization. “Fostering Enrichment and Empowerment for Development” is actually our acronym for FEED. “F” stands for fostering, “E” for enrichment, “E” for empowerment, and “D” for development. When we originally created this nonprofit in 2010, we did not actively use it until 2017 to address hunger in the community. However, our original articles of incorporation covered all aspects of child development—education, skill-building, anti-bullying, business skills, trades, and anything that uplifts children and prepares them to be productive members of society. The high school I attended provided me with all these opportunities, so “It Takes a Village to Feed One Child” started with food because it was the most urgent need. However, our mission extends to the holistic development of children.
Collins:
Tell us about some of your partners. I know you don’t do this alone—you must have other service providers working with you on this mission.
Wainwright:
Yes, we have many partners. Right now, we are considered a state sponsor in Pennsylvania, and we are one of the largest in the state. We are under a permanent contract with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. That’s a lifetime contract we have until we choose to exit or terminate an agreement.
Our other partners include Blessings of Hope, Sharing Access, Goods 360, The Mann Center, 180 Degrees Consulting, and Level Up Philly, which serves 1,500 at-risk youth daily. We also partner with Hope to Wholeness, the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Delaware Chamber of Commerce, the African American Chamber of Commerce, the National CAP Association, USDA Team Nutrition, the National Restaurant Association, the Congressional Hunger Center, DARN, NESCO, Youth Development United, Mighty Riders, Double Treeless, and many churches throughout Pennsylvania. These partners help us not only address hunger but also support our other programs for children.
Collins:
Approximately how many children are you serving?
Wainwright:
We distribute over 150,000 meals monthly across five counties—Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Bucks, and Montgomery. We provide about 3,000 meals per day.
Collins:
You came from a single-parent home, attended boarding school, and faced struggles with your mom. What motivation would you offer a young person who wants to pursue entrepreneurship or give back to the community?
Wainwright:
I am actually going to write a book about my journey because it has been an interesting one.
I was raised in the church, but it wasn’t until I had a personal encounter with God that my life changed. My mother encouraged me to turn my life over to Jesus Christ during a desperate time. Coming out of boarding school, transitioning into college, and eventually dropping out, I faced trouble. My mother told me to pray and seek God’s guidance.
After over 30 years as an entrepreneur, I can confidently say that I am led by Christ. Every day, He gives me wisdom, resources, power, and the right connections. I remain obedient and put in the work. That is what I would tell young people—you get out of life what you put into it. You must also have faith, confidence, and humility to learn from mentors. No matter how much I know about business, I am always learning. I don’t need an alarm clock to wake me up—I wake up because I am passionate about what I do. Find your passion, put in the time, do the work, and have faith in God.
Collins:
What’s next for Mark Wainwright?
Wainwright:
Honestly, I have considered politics. But right now, our focus is on growing the organization to another level. We want to make a greater impact in the community—helping families, children, and seniors. Our goal is to make “It Takes a Village to Feed One Child” a household name by serving communities. I am at peace with that mission.
Collins:
For those who want to get involved or contribute, how can they do so?
Wainwright:
They can visit our website at www.itavtfoc.org. There, they can find donation options and learn more about our work. They can also contact us at 1-888-702-9610.
I also attend The Family Church in New Jersey, which has been instrumental in my growth as a leader. Pastors Ted Winsley & Dawn Wesley have also been chaplains for the Philadelphia Eagles for 23 seasons. Our organization is expanding into New Jersey and Delaware to make an impact in those states as well.
Collins:
The Anointed News Journal reaches over 180,000 readers weekly. In conclusion, what message do you have for our readers?
Wainwright:
I encourage readers to research our organization, get involved, volunteer, and find ways to help us make a greater impact in the community. Follow our journey and watch us grow.
Collins:
Mark, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Your work is truly inspiring. You continue to be a beacon of hope, proving that one person’s passion can transform countless lives.
Mark Wainwright’s dedication to serving his community through It Takes a Village to Feed One Child continues to make a lasting impact. Check out www.itavtfoc.org to see how you can help with this amazing endeavor.
By Chris Collins
Be a Part of the Story.
Every article we publish helps shine a light on the people and movements making a difference. Your support helps us keep these stories free and accessible for all.
Join our mission — support independent, uplifting, community news.
💛 Donate now
Recent Comments