What does it take to build a national nonprofit from a simple act of awareness?

In this episode of You Are What You Give, I sit down with Joseph Gitler, founder and chairman of Leket Israel https://www.leket.org/en/, Israel's leading food rescue organization.

What began with one person paying attention to surplus food has grown into a nationwide operation that rescues and redistributes millions of pounds of food each year to Israelis in need.

We talk about:

• The early grit required to launch Leket
• What it takes to scale from local initiative to national infrastructure
• Building systems that move food quickly and responsibly
• Leading through crisis and economic pressure
• And what Purim - a holiday centered on hidden need and open-handed giving - teaches us about modern generosity

As Purim approaches, Leket is mobilizing to distribute significant food packages across Israel, ensuring families can celebrate with dignity.

This conversation is for nonprofit founders, leaders, fundraisers, and anyone asking:

How do you grow impact without losing mission?

How do you scale compassion?

If you care about food security, volunteer mobilization, or building sustainable nonprofit systems, this episode is for you.

Special thanks to Victoria Hearst for supporting You Are What You Give.