Following Passion to Make a Difference

“There are so many ways to do good, and it’s very easy to idealize someone else’s way.”

-Tallu Quinn


Her Story of Success…

As Executive Director of the Nashville Food Project, Tallu Quinn uses her passion for food as a tool for creating community and defining pathways out of poverty. Her grassroots organization recovers edible food from grocery stores and other sources and uses it to prepare more than 5,000 high-quality, made-from-scratch meals each week for people in need. In this wide-ranging conversation, Tallu shares the nitty-gritty challenges of launching a nonprofit, being a boss and simultaneously fulfilling her roles as a wife and mother. She also acknowledges that there are “many amazing ways to make a difference in the world” outside the nonprofit sector — from volunteering to donating to entrepreneurial endeavors.

About This Episode…

Tallu tells us why she decided to return to her hometown to launch her food ministry, why working at a nonprofit isn’t always easy or glamorous and why it’s important that women take a long view of work-life balance. She also shares what she’s learned about the importance of self-care and attending to what’s beneath the surface. “The healthy, life-giving things that you do for yourself, those are good things for your family, too.”