Episode 98 · April 4, 2023
Taylor Hanson: Award-winning Musician and Founder of Nonprofit, Food on the Move
with Taylor Hanson, Award-winning Musician and Founder of Food on the Move
35 min
Taylor Hanson: Award-winning Musician and Founder of Nonprofit, Food on the Move
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In this episode
In this episode I sit down with a fellow Oklahoman who is truly getting things done — award-winning musician Taylor Hanson, founder of the Tulsa nonprofit Food on the Move. You may know Taylor from his notoriety as a musician known nationally and internationally, but in this conversation we go somewhere deeper: how a lifelong sense of gratitude and a Danish-farmer work ethic led him to build a movement around food.
Taylor shares the origin of Food on the Move, founded in 2014 and inspired by his mentor, former U.S. Ambassador Edward Perkins, who told him that if he wanted to strengthen the community, he should start with food. From there, Taylor started making cold calls, listening, and learning about food deserts and food insecurity in Tulsa. What began as pop-up food and resource festivals with food trucks and a pay-as-you-can produce model has grown into something holistic — reimagining the food system itself, from the seed up.
I love that this is way more than delivering food. We talk about the "food home" project and the capital campaign behind it, the education program at Monroe Middle School where students learn aquaponics, hydroponics, cooking and growing, and how those students are now interning and teaching others. It's a beautiful ripple effect, and it's all built on the belief that we should use everything we've got. Keep going — this one will inspire you.
Key takeaways
- Don't wait to be 'qualified' to serve — mine whatever you already possess. As Taylor puts it, use everything you've got, whether you're a teacher, an entrepreneur, a musician, or a mom.
- Food on the Move started in 2014, inspired by Taylor's mentor, former U.S. Ambassador Edward Perkins, who advised that strengthening a community starts with food.
- Real change starts with listening. Taylor made cold calls and built relationships with partners like the food bank, the health department, Iron Gate and TCC before ever launching a program.
- The food and resource festivals meet people where they are with food trucks and a pay-as-you-can produce model — everyone checks in and is treated exactly the same, so it builds relationships, not shame.
- Food insecurity and food deserts are about economics: without local grocery stores, families spend their few dollars at gas stations and lose access to fresh produce, which compounds preventable, diet-related disease.
- The Monroe Middle School program teaches growing, cooking, and technologies like aquaponics and hydroponics — and it's working, boosting attendance and even turning students into paid interns who teach others.
- Anyone can get involved at foodonthemoveokay.com — volunteer at festivals, tend community grow beds, help with the farm, flyer neighborhoods, spread the word, or give to the food home capital campaign.
“It's not really about looking out at the way people see you or the things that are accolades that others have valued you. It's about mining whatever it is that you possess.”
“You use everything you've got. Don't wait, but start moving and use whatever it is you have.”
“We treat people the way we would want to be treated.”
“We're here to put ourselves out of a job — not permanently instilling us into a system of need, but actually seeing change happen.”
Resources mentioned
- LinkFood on the Move
About Taylor
Award-winning Musician and Founder of Food on the Move
Taylor Hanson is an award-winning musician known nationally and internationally, and the founder and board chairman of the Tulsa nonprofit Food on the Move, which he started in 2014 to reimagine food growth and distribution in the community. He and his wife, Natalie, are parents to seven children.
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