It didn’t start with a big donor or a boardroom strategy. It started with 10 turkeys, a mobile home park, and a question: what more can I do?
That was 2013. Zeina Zein-Wolland, or just “Z” as most know her, was working in nonprofit outreach when a friend asked if she could help feed a few families over Thanksgiving. She made some calls. Loaded her red Volkswagen Jetta. And when she saw firsthand how many families were living in food insecurity just down the road from affluent neighborhoods, something shifted.
She couldn’t look away.
Soon after, she founded Mobile School Pantry, a nonprofit that brings fresh produce and healthy staples directly to low-income schools across South Florida. But it wasn’t easy. Z juggled it all: motherhood, fundraising, food pickups at 3 a.m., and the grueling logistics of trying to scale a nonprofit without a warehouse or full-time team.
What kept her going? The people.
From her father helping with pantry sign-in to her board members designing a recipe book, Mobile School Pantry grew through grit, persistence, and community. In the early days, they fed 51 families. Today, they serve thousands. And yet, Z hasn’t lost sight of what really matters: dignity, choice, and compassion for every family that walks through their line.
In this episode of Making Bank, Z shares:
- How early lessons from her Lebanese immigrant parents shaped her drive
- Why she believes the best partnerships begin with vulnerability
- What four words she lives by: purpose, partnerships, persistence, people
- And the power of saying yes before you feel ready
Z’s story isn’t about charity. It’s about commitment. It’s about building something that lasts long after you’re gone.
Interested in volunteering with Mobile School Pantry?
Visit mobileschoolpantry.org/volunteer to get started.
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