LIGHTING the Path FORWARD

VERANDA celebrates five women innovating a brighter future for their neighborhoods—and the world—from rescuing American landmarks to elevating emerging artists. Plus, our honorees spotlight the rising stars in their fields.

- BY ALISA CARROLL

FEEDING THE FUTURE LAUREN BUSH LAUREN

“I WANT TO BE THE FIRST female president of Rwanda,” said a little girl to Lauren Bush Lauren during the FEED Projects founder and CEO's visit to the East African nation.

“She had huge hopes and dreams,” says Lauren, who, as the granddaughter of George H.W. Bush and niece of George W. Bush, is acquainted with the office. It was as a young woman herself, when she made several trips as a student ambassador to Africa with the United Nations World Food Programme, that Lauren first witnessed severe hunger and food scarcity. The experience changed the course of her life: In 2005, while still an undergraduate at Princeton, she designed the now-iconic FEED tote, each bag stamped with the number of meals its sale helped to provide children by its purchase. Launched on Amazon in 2007 and nationwide in Whole Foods Market a year later (and seen on the arms of style-setters like Karlie Kloss and Jessica Alba), its success spurred her to found FEED Projects, a nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger. Now in its 18th year, FEED’s school lunch funding program has helped provide more than 128,300,000 meals to date in the U.S. and internationally, with its purpose still laser-focused, Lauren says, on “helping children live to their fullest human potential.” The mission of addressing food insecurity has guided Lauren from teenager to CEO and mother (she has three sons with husband David Lauren, son of fashion designer Ralph Lauren)—and with food programs like SNAP facing cuts, it's more vital than ever. feedprojects.com

RISING STAR SHRUSTI AMULA