Conversation with Billy Shore
Wednesday, 05 Nov 2025
Date:
Wednesday, 05 Nov 2025
Time:
06:30 PM
Venue:
Banyan, Chitnavis Centre,
Author
Billy Shore
Revolution of Heart
When observers such as Peter Drucker (Post Capitalist Society, 1993) or Jeremy Rifkin (The End of Work, 1995) envision a future in which the "third sector" plays a dominant role in solving society's problems, they are considering organizations such as Shore's Share Our Strength (SOS). After working in government for Senators Gary Hart and Robert Kerrey, Shore started SOS in 1984 to help fight hunger, illiteracy, and homelessness. Shore has aggressively formed partnerships with corporations and professionals. Two of SOS's most visible programs, Charge Against Hunger and Taste of the Nation, are sponsored by American Express. Since founding SOS, Shore has raised more than $26 million to help alleviate hunger. This book tells Shore's story of hope and encourages others to join his "revolution." David Rouse.
The Book offers a plan for concerned citizenship that transcends traditional political activity in order to serve directly the needs of the community, especially poverty, hunger, and homelessness, through innovative nonprofit groups.
The Cathedral within
In this wise and inspiring book, social entrepreneur Billy Shore shows us how to make the most of life and do something that counts. Like the cathedral builders of an earlier time, the visionaries described in this memoir share a single desire: to create something that endures. The extraordinary people Shore has met on his travels represent a new movement of citizens who are tapping into the vast resources of the private sector to improve public life. Among them are:
-- Gary Mulhair, who has created unprecedented jobs and wealth at the largest self-supporting human-service organization of its kind, Pioneer Human Services of Seattle.
-- Nancy Carstedt of the Chicago Childrenís Choir, which provides thousands of children their first introduction to music.
-- Geoffrey Canada, who has made a safe haven for more than four thousand inner-city children in New York City, from Hell's Kitchen to Harlem.
These leaders, and many others described in these pages, have built important new cathedrals within their communities, and by doing so they have transformed lives, including their own.
Summary
Billy Shore
Founder & Executive Chair, Share Our Strength
About & Impact
Bill Shore is the Founder and Executive Chari of Share Our Strength, a US based NGO dedicated to end childhood hunger globally. He Co‑founded Share Our Strength in 1984 with his sister Debbie; since then, he’s helped raise over $1 billion to combat hunger and poverty through strategic philanthropy and partnership.
He is the Chair of Community Wealth Partners, the nonprofit’s social‑impact consulting arm, leading community initiatives.
He has served in prominent leadership roles on national political campaigns, including U.S. Presidential candidate Gary Hart and Chief of Staff for Senator Robert Kerrey; appointed by Congress in 2014 to the White House National Commission on Hunger.
Programs & Thought Leadership
Architected the pivot from grant‑making to measurable impact, launching flagship programs like No Kid Hungry, Cooking Matters, and innovative legislative advocacy that has singularly reduced child hunger in the US by a third.
Weekly podcast host of Add Passion and Stir, featuring dialogues with chefs, policymakers, and innovators on food.
Frequent high profile keynote speaker and guest on platforms and galas like those of Duke Sanford, CauseArtist, Stanford Social Innovation Review, UPenn, The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA, and The Business of Giving podcast.
Author & Media
Published four highly influential books on social change: Revolution of the Heart (1995), The Cathedral Within (1999), The Light of Conscience (2004), and The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men (2010). Now writing his fifth book.
Regular contributor and blogger on hunger and equity issues; featured in Stanford Social Innovation Review with deep reflections on organizational transformation, a steward for national and international food justice ssystems.
Academic & Civic Roles
Bachelor's from the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania; JD from George Washington University; adjunct professor at NYU Stern School of Business; advisor at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Former board member of Timberland Company (2001–11); recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America's Best Leaders.
Top 3 Accomplishments of Share Our Strength Under His Leadership
1. No Kid Hungry has connected children in the U.S. to over 2 billion meals, transforming school and summer meals.
2. Successfully mobilized hundreds of millions of dollars in private and public funds to reduce childhood hunger across all 50 states in the US building bipartisan alliances with city Mayors, State Governors, Senators and Congressmen, and Presidents.
3. Created groundbreaking awareness and fundraising initiatives engaging top chefs, restaurants, and major brands to fight hunger nationally and globally through his innovative ideas and relentless pursuit to serve the underprivileged.
Personal Mission
Believes strongly in picking battles “big enough to matter, small enough to win.”
Champions “zero tolerance, 100 % compassion” for performance and accountability.
Native of Pittsburgh; dedicated to family—especially cherishing time with his children and granddaughter—and to empowering others to share their strengths. Is a professionally trained, real-life experienced firefighter.
Why He Matters to You!
Visionary leader who has turned bold ideas into national impact across the US.
Inspiring storyteller: whether through books, podcasts, or speeches, he brings urgency and hope to the fight against hunger.
Combines heartfelt compassion with rigor, making him both a prolific motivational and pragmatic speaker.
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