Sandra Lee

Sandra Lee serves on World Food Program USA’s distinguished Board of Directors. Ms. Lee is a longtime humanitarian, hunger and health activist, philanthropist, as well as an internationally acclaimed Home Life Expert.

Ms. Lee will be heading up new program initiatives, advocacy and outreach. Lee joins an accomplished roster of board members, including Hon. Tom Daschle, Hon. Dan Glickman, Molly Finn, Jodi Benson, Noland MacKenzie Canter, Emily High Daniels, Tony Fratto, Anwar Khan, Bonnie Raquet, Randy Russell, Carl Stern and Joe Stone, as well as honorary board members Marshall Matz and Hon. Robert Dole.

“We are thrilled to have Sandra join us in our fight to solve global hunger. Sandra brings tremendous value, insight and humanitarian experience that will help us extend our global reach and impact as we support and provide lifesaving food and resources to the world’s hungriest and most at risk children, women and families,” said Randy Russell, World Food Program USA Board Chairman.

According to the newly released Global Report on Food Crises, 135 million people in 55 countries faced severe food insecurity in 2019. Now, as the world faces the twin threats of a deadly health pandemic and increased hunger, vulnerable populations will have no ability to cope with the impact of this new shock. In a worst-case scenario due to the impacts of COVID-19, WFP expects there could be famine in three dozen countries by the end of this year.

As an influential public figure, Lee’s work will be vital to driving increased awareness and fundraising for World Food Program USA. Her robust board responsibilities will include being a public and proactive advocate with policymakers, large corporations and concerned Americans regarding global and domestic hunger relief initiatives; spearheading the creation of a “next gen” youth board and advisory council to mobilize the next generation of advocates and philanthropists to support global hunger initiatives; helping organize and plan mission trips to areas in need; and conceptualizing and leading the development of a star-studded PSA featuring renown chefs and influencers to raise awareness and funds for the planet’s most hungry children, women and families.

“There are now more than 265 million people nearing starvation—this cannot stand. Food is a basic human right. We must do all we can to help the most vulnerable,” said Ms. Lee. “That’s why the work of the United Nations World Food Programme and World Food Program USA is so very important and that’s why I am willing to do whatever I can to help secure the funding, food and nutrition they need to survive. I look forward to partnering with the United Nations World Food Programme’s Executive Director David Beasley and his global team as we fight for the world’s hungriest and most vulnerable people.”

A lifelong humanitarian and activist, Lee began her fight against hunger after a 1985 trip to the African Continent where she saw and experienced firsthand the deep poverty and hunger that exists throughout the world. This experience changed her life’s trajectory and gave rise to her becoming a founding Board Member of UNICEF’s Los Angeles chapter. Additionally, Lee has received the sole appointment as UNICEF’s Special Nutrition Emissary. In September 2015, Lee helped head the team to Haiti on an immunization and nutrition mission and launched a global UNICEF campaign focused on both initiatives.

Ms. Lee has a history of working diligently behind-the-scenes to push through legislation and secure increased funding in the areas of childhood hunger/food initiatives, depression and suicide prevention, disaster relief, gender equality, marriage equality, homelessness, cancer, women’s health and HIV prevention/treatment. Lee has received wide recognition for her humanitarian work and is the recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Medal of Honor and the Albert Einstein Award of Excellence amongst many other accolades. In 2019, the Women’s History Museum in Washington, DC honored Lee with their Women Making History award for her work on behalf of women, children and families worldwide.

Professionally, Lee is one of the world’s most popular Home Life personalities with 27 bestselling books and more than a dozen highly rated programs broadcast on ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO and Discovery’s Network of Channels, with airings in 63 countries worldwide. For her impact in the home economic and culinary arts field, Lee’s portrait hangs in the Julia Child exhibition at the Smithsonian.