Winona Bynum

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
Gleaners Youth and Nutrition Manager Winona Bynum: That’s a huge question! Being a leader is a complex role. Being a leader means being willing to put in the effort to make things possible for others. Being a leader denotes being out front; and part of the responsibility of being the person out front is to remove obstacles so the work can be done. It calls for seeing possibilities and helping others to see them. It calls for constant listening, learning, and growing. It also requires the humility to step back and allow someone else to take the lead when they are better fitted to get the job done.
 
What is your dream for kids?
My dream for kids is for each child to have all the resources available to them required to develop into their best selves. It then goes without saying that every child should have all of their basic needs met. That includes the need to have the good

...assessment and collaboration between organizations, communities, and people creates an environment that makes progress easier.

food available that is necessary for kids to develop mentally, physically, and emotionally.
 
What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
More collaboration and greater systems thinking will help to improve the environment for social sector work. Prior to pursuing my career in nutrition and the nonprofit sector I worked as an Information Technology Project Manager. A great part of planning any technology project is identifying all stakeholders and impacted and affected parties. You have to do a gap analysis to see what exists presently and where you need to be. You also have to look at how the new software will interact in the environment with any existing software packages.  Needless to say, people and organizations are not the same as software packages. However, assessment and collaboration between organizations, communities, and people creates an environment that makes progress easier. I see some of this happening now; broader use will only benefit us all.
 
How do you know you’re making progress?
I know we’re making progress as an organization by the growth in the numbers of people’s lives we touch. Gleaners had over 11,000 young people volunteer in our Kids Helping Kids program. I also see more people realizing the importance of children not just getting any food, but good nutritional food. The importance of good nutrition for a child is becoming a more

One of the biggest barriers is the misperception that hunger no longer exists or exists only in certain communities. Although, certain communities may be harder hit, none are immune to hunger.

generally recognized fact.
 
What are you most proud of?
My life is marked by more gratitude than pride. So, I’m not sure if I’d say I’m proud or grateful to work in the company of so many dedicated, passionate individuals -- maybe equal parts of both. I’m also grateful to play a small role in helping to alleviate the hardship faced by children who do not have enough nutritious food to eat.
 
What perceptions, messages, historical influences create the most significant barriers to engaging Michigan citizens around food and hunger issues for vulnerable children?
One of the biggest barriers is the misperception that hunger no longer exists or exists only in certain communities. Although, certain communities may be harder hit, none are immune to hunger.