(upbeat music) - We're now joined by our good friend, Chip Paillex, who is President and Founder of America's Grow-A-Row of 2010, Russ Berrie Making a Difference Honoree.

Good to see ya, Chip.

- Hey, great to see you, Steve.

Thanks for having me.

- Well, you're one of the many terrific leaders making a difference that I've met over the 29 years I've been part of the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award ceremonies.

This coming year will be the 30th, and the final one, focusing on Gen Z Leaders Making a Difference.

You won in 2010.

First, tell everyone what Grow-A-Row is.

We'll put the website up, and then we'll talk about why the award mattered, mattered, and still matters, because you're still a part of that great team.

- Sure, well, America's Grow-A-Row, very simply, is a program where our 14,000 volunteers help us to harvest and distribute produce across New Jersey and 28 states.

It's driven through activity here at our four farms in New Jersey, sprawling 423 acres.

It also has a major educational component with it.

And so, yeah, it's a pretty deep, awesome experience, so a way of impacting people.

- You became introduced, did you know of the Russ Berrie Foundation before you won the Making a Difference Award in 2010?

- I did not, but I'm glad that I certainly was part of it.

Let's just say that.

It was a great experience, yeah.

- And I remember meeting you at that ceremony, and the whole range of other terrific leaders.

And by the way, go on the website, the Russ Berrie website is up right now to find out more about, not only past honorees, but also what they're doing this year with Gen Z Leaders Making a Difference.

Chip, describe that first time you were there.

Not just getting the award, but being around other really terrific people making a powerful difference.

- First time is no different than any other time, Steve.

And as you know, I've gone virtually every year when my schedule allowed, and really because it was the networking opportunity, sure that the 50,000, you know, being the grand prize winner gaining 50,000, was huge in its own right.

But really it was the relationships that came out of it, whether it was with Angelica and folks from her board, Josh Weston, and introducing me to so many people, you being one of 'em.

And then the opportunity from a PR standpoint, getting the word out, and really vetting us as an organization when we were in that fledgling stage.

So it was way more than just, you know, a pat on the back, "Hey, great job," you know, for what we're doing and the funds.

It was really the ripple effect that came from it, far and, you know, wide, just again from that one event in 2010.

- Yeah, Angelica Berrie always talks about that ripple effect, and you just triggered that right there by saying that.

Chip, lemme ask you this.

Food insecurity, the term gets thrown around a lot.

We interview a lot of people who are involved in the food and security movement, folks at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, other connected organizations.

Where are we, from your perspective, as it relates to A, food insecurity, and B, how are organizations like yours, headquartered in Pittstown, New Jersey, donating 4.2 million pounds of produce food since 2000, excuse me, in 2025 alone, creating 16.8 million servings of produce for people across 24 states?

Where are we as it relates to food insecurity, and what kind of difference do you believe your organization's making?

- Well, yeah, the numbers are big, right?

I'm sure you've heard, you know, over a million people don't know where the next meal's coming from, just in New Jersey alone.

That problem has not resolved itself.

People are struggling, you know, rising costs, whether it's groceries, whether it's medical, rent.

So with all that, there's this constant challenge to try to eat, not just food, but certainly healthy food.

And how do you do that when you're on such a limited budget?

Or even try to eat, you know, seven to nine healthy servings a day?

If you try that, if you go to the supermarket, it's a pretty big ring, you know, at the end of the day when you go through the cashier.

But what we're trying to do is really two things.

One, it's not just getting food out to those folks who need it, which is huge at its own rate, but it's also giving people the opportunity to be part of that.

So the 14,000 volunteers we have that come out to the farm, help us to harvest and distribute- - 14,000?

- 14,000.

- By the way, put up the website now for people who wanna volunteer.

Go ahead.

I'm sorry, Chip.

- Sure.

But, you know, just, I'd like to put that number into context, that 4.2 million, Steve, because really that's over 28 miles worth of people we're feeding every single day within our 16-week season.

So that's huge.

And that's a long line of people, ya know.

So what we're doing is we're bringing people to the farm, you know, it's a great day in the farm.

But the program's not about pounds, it's about people.

So anyone who comes here has to be changed in some form or fashion, positively impacted, otherwise, we've failed in our mission altogether.

- Chip, the Gen Z thing, the fact that the Russ Berrie Foundation is recognizing Gen Z Leaders Making a Difference.

How does your organization, America's Grow-A-Row, connect to younger people, Gen Z folks?

And why is that so important to this cause?

- Well, I think we, you know, we connect with them in so many different ways, whether they come out with families, right, whether they come out from schools or faith-based groups, youth groups, you know, after-school programs, folks who, from underserved areas, that are in that age group as well.

You know, no one's excluded from the program, but we love to have youth that come out because you know what, if you start 'em young, giving back at an early age, and they enjoy it, and they see the impact, they walk away like, "Wow, you know, look at the, how many thousands of pounds we picked today."

That sticks with you, and that's really our goal.

You know, my legacy is really, it's not about like, it could be a million trillion pounds, you know, but for me personally, I just wanna change lives.

And so that's why it's so important that the experience here at Grow-A-Row is so powerful.

- Last question.

Keeping produce in New Jersey, A, why is it important, and B, why is it difficult?

- So it's difficult, was difficult I should say, because we have so much produce that's available in a very short period of time.

And trying to get that to the food banks and then down to the agencies was a challenge.

About 35% of our produce stayed in state each year.

We were very fortunate to work together with a task force of all the food banks in the state, came together here at the farm.

We put a plan together, we executed.

It was a pilot that actually converted to a program very quickly, 'cause it was so successful.

Long story short, 63% of our produce stayed here in the State of New Jersey this year.

1.4 million incremental than last year.

Again, you know, it's amazing what can happen when great minds come together for a common good cause.

- Important stuff.

Chip Paillex, President and Founder of America's Grow-A-Row, 2010 Russ Berrie Making a Difference Honoree, doing important work.

Make sure you check out the website.

If you wanna volunteer, volunteer.

Make a difference.

It was great meeting Chip back in 2010.

I've seen him virtually every year we've had that Russ Berrie Making a Difference Awards Luncheon.

And the one coming up this year is gonna be really special, the final one, Gen Z Leaders Make a Difference.

Chip, my friend, wish you and your team all the best.

Keep doing good work and making a difference.

- Thanks so much, Steve.

Look forward to seeing you in May.

- It's gonna be great.

I'm Steve Adubato.

That's Chip Paillex.

We'll see you next time.

- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by EJI, Excellence in Medicine Awards.

The Russell Berrie Foundation.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

New Brunswick Development Corporation.

Johnson & Johnson.

The New Jersey Education Association.

Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

And by NJM Insurance Group.

Promotional support provided by ROI-NJ.

And by Insider NJ.

- The EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards was established in 1939, shining a light on New Jersey's health care leaders.

Current awards include the Excellence in Medicine, Research, Medical, Education and Community Service.

EJI also funds annual scholarships to medical, dental, pharmaceutical and physician assistant students throughout the state.

Learn more at EJIAwards.org.