For Scott Jackson, giving back to Philabundance isn’t just an act of generosity — it’s a reflection of who he is, where he came from, and what he believes.
For Scott Jackson, the work of Philabundance has never been abstract—it’s rooted in something he heard around the dinner table as a child.
“When my mom was growing up in Philadelphia, unfortunately, her father passed away, and her mom was left raising four girls,” he says. “There weren’t any programs like Philabundance back then. Some nights, dinner might be bread and ketchup, or crackers and mustard, anything they could do to make ends meet. I thought, ‘if I’m ever in a position where I can help out, I want to do so.’”
That desire to give back took root early—and when Scott discovered Philabundance as a listener of WMMR radio’s The Preston & Steve Show, a longtime Philabundance partner and champion, he found the vehicle to act on it. What began as a donation grew into something far greater: volunteering alongside his wife and children, joining the Philabundance board’s Development Committee, and eventually becoming a member of the board itself.
“I wanted to make sure that all of us were involved,” Scott says, “because we all believe in the mission.”
Scott takes pride in the organization’s reach in his native Philadelphia and across the additional eight counties served—but admits that despite his own familial connection to food insecurity, he didn’t fully grasp the scale of the hunger crisis until his work with Philabundance brought it into focus.
“I had no idea how far each dollar donated goes in terms of feeding people dealing with food insecurity—and not just that. I became more aware of programs outside of traditional food distribution,” he says.
As Scott learned more about Philabundance Community Kitchen—a culinary job training program that moves people from dependence to independence—and the Summer LunchBox program, which ensures children who rely on school meals don’t go without during summer break, his commitment deepened. So did his ambition.
“What excites me are the matching challenges we’ve been able to lead—turning $1 into so much more,” Scott explains. “It’s proof of the power in numbers. It’s not just my family making a gift, but encouraging others to join in so those funds can double or triple, having an even greater impact.”
Perhaps the most powerful shift came not in a boardroom, but at an in-person food distribution event in South Philadelphia—a lightbulb moment Scott has never forgotten.
“All of a sudden, you’re seeing the people who are benefiting, as opposed to a box that you’re packing. People were already queued up, as much as an hour early,” Scott recalls. “It really touched me.”
It’s a reminder he carries into his board work—and one he shares with his own children, now in their 20s, whom he continues to bring along to volunteer.
“Not everyone has the ability to financially give support,” he says. “You can always give time.”
Today, Scott’s mother, now 90, still joins him at Camp Out for Hunger—the nation’s largest single-site food drive—each year, proof that for this family, the commitment to Philabundance runs as deep as the memories that first inspired it.
As Scott’s role has evolved, so too has his understanding of the mission, the drive, and the humanity behind the work carried out by Philabundance’s volunteers, staff, and fellow donors each day.
“It’s very much a community taking care of one another,” he says. “If I wasn’t inspired by the work being done at Philabundance, well, I wouldn’t be a part of Philabundance.”
For Scott, it all comes back to a philosophy he has lived by for years—and one he hopes others will embrace.
“My philosophy has long been that we all want to do well—it’s human nature. You do well by doing good.”
