Strategic planning is essential to an organization because it helps the company evaluate some of its strengths, weaknesses, and objectives (Jackson 34). Food banks are important because they ensure that there is enough food for people who are in need. This means that management has to keep count as how much food is available and how many people are in need. Given that this is a non-governmental organization, the food bank relies for charity and philanthropists who buy food for the organization. This means that the organizations act as the distributor of food items in a given states so that people do not die of hunger or malnutrition. The organization is built under the 7-S framework where the organization’s subordinate goals are ensuring adequate supply of food materials, make the public aware of hunger problems around the nation, and investing in technology to mobilize community-based responses to ending hunger problems (Howard 125-27). These strategies fit perfect in the 7S Model because there is a decentralized arrangement in that anyone can chip in to help and support the organization. This paper will discuss the strategic planning of Chicago Food Bank in ensuring that there is an adequate supply and distribution of food materials to the general public that requires help.
Firstly, the organization has to ensure an adequate supply and availability of healthy foods for the unfortunate people. Given the increasing health conditions brought by unhealthy foods, the organization is finding ways to increase the proportion of fresh and healthy products (Jackson 37). In addition, the organization seeks to finds ways to increase whole grain products that are fat-free to promote a healthy community. Thus, the organization is finding ways to form ties with the local farmers such that they can support the food banks through donations of their fresh produce (Jackson 38). Fresh food is essential to not only maintaining a healthy community but it gives the unfortunate people access to health food options. Through this strategy, the organization will not only form connections with the surrounding local farmers but also will ensure there is a good supply of fresh foods to the people in need.
The second strategy is to mobilize and encourage community-based hunger responses. The food bank is an NGO that relies on charity and philanthropic people who are willing to help the greater community (Jackson 41). Thus, the organization will build new partnerships with in the community to make people aware in the importance of supporting the NGO’s. In addition, the organization can build strong communications between communities by establishing proper networks that will ensure food reaches the proper population that is in dire need of help. To strengthen community-based hunger problem, the organization should establish implementation action plans during food emergency. The food bank can also use community dashboards because more people will become aware and can join in mobilizing the greater community to help the unfortunate so as to end hunger problems.
The food bank’s also plans to instill an awareness program to deepening the public’s understanding on the importance of ending hunger problems (Jackson 40). The organization intends to use the technological resources so as to broaden the donors who are willing to support food banks’ mission. This means that the organization should ensure that all member partners are knowledgeable regarding online tools, which can be a tool to mobilizing the public on ending hunger problems. Raising awareness and public support is significant to ending hunger problems around the globe.
Given that food bank distribute food materials freely to welfares and homeless shelters, it is important for organization to record a food analysis. Creating a framework is essential in any business because it helps the management to evaluate and establish benchmarks. The organization can also plan their distribution relative to the number of people in need in various places (Jackson 41). The organization can also provide meal score cards that collect valid information such as how many meals can one afford in a day. This form of data will help broaden the organization’s understanding as to how many people are in need of food supplies. Thus, food bank will create a community scorecard that gives a measurement report of how many people require food support.
The organization should also invest in proper staff who will manage the food distribution in proper ways (Jackson 43). Professional recruitment can also be essential because they can provide good approaches and goals for a successful charitable organization. This means that new staff can make new channels that will improve the food quality provided and will also cater to the marginalized society who cannot afford food materials. Given that food bank is a NGO, the organization can also seek environmental measures as a way of giving back to the society that supports it.
Works Cited
Howard, Ann. Diagnosis for organizational change: methods and models. New York: Guilford Press, 1994. Print.
Jackson, Robert. Agricultural growth for the poor: an agenda for development.. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2005. Print.
