In Action

25 Years of Impact. Watch the Story

See the programs, the people, and the operations behind the numbers.

25 Years of Proof

Not theory.
Track record.

Every claim I make about building programs, scaling operations, and leading teams through crisis is backed by 25 years of doing exactly that. inside some of Texas's most complex food security and human services organizations.

300+
Program sites built
and scaled across Texas
52M+
Pounds of food distributed
at system peak · NTFB network
26,000+
Clients served annually
at Crossroads alone
500+
Partner nonprofits audited
with zero disqualifications
Career History

Where the experience was built

25 years across Texas's largest and most demanding food security and human services organizations. not as an outside advisor, but as the person actually running the operations.

01
North Texas Food Bank
Sr. Manager, Programs & Community Outreach · 2001 to 2015

Led strategic initiatives across 13 North Texas counties managing five departments and a team of 21. Scaled Kids Cafe from a concept to 28 operating sites. Grew Food 4 Kids backpack program from a single pilot to 300 active distribution sites. Cultivated major corporate partnerships including Capital One and Target. Founded Agency University. a free continuing education program providing nonprofit staff and volunteers with training in distribution models, marketing, grant writing, fundraising, and strategies for increasing clients served year over year.

Program Scaling Multi Site Ops Agency University Corporate Partnerships Child Nutrition
02
Crossroads Community Services
Director of Operations · 2015 to 2016

Directed comprehensive food bank operations distributing 11M+ pounds of food annually to 26,000+ clients. Became the North Texas Food Bank's single largest food provider. Achieved 100% audit compliance across all OSHA, AIB, and USDA inspections. Modernized financial controls and IT systems from the ground up.

11M+ Lbs/Month OSHA/AIB/USDA Warehouse Ops IT Systems
03
San Antonio Food Bank
Director, Food For Today · 2020

Led COVID-19 emergency food operations across 16 counties, directing 5 dynamic teams and orchestrating MEGA distributions serving up to 2,000 families per event. Managed a Compliance & Capacity team that inspected 500+ partner nonprofits. Operations ran 12+ hours daily with zero compliance failures.

COVID-19 Response 16 Counties 500+ Partners Crisis Operations
04
Meals on Wheels Central Texas
Director, Programs Support · 2023 to 2026

Directed multi program operations across 18 service locations supervising 34 staff and 3 program managers. Maintained 100% compliance across five concurrent funding streams. city, county, state, and federal. through zero audit findings. Implemented Salesforce analytics dashboards for real time program visibility.

18 Locations Salesforce CRM Federal Compliance Senior Services
05
Feeding the Gulf Coast
Disaster Recovery Specialist · Oct Nov 2018

Deployed to Hurricane Michael disaster zone in partnership with Feeding America. Identified warehousing solutions, located distribution hubs, and built operational partner networks in heavily devastated areas. Drew on disaster response experience from Hurricane Katrina to execute rapid response logistics under extreme conditions.

Hurricane Michael Disaster Logistics Feeding America Rapid Response
06
Dallas County Mass Care Task Force
Representative & VOAD Member · 2007 to 2014

7+ years as a formal Mass Care representative and VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) member. Built and maintained the inter agency coordination frameworks that activate during county level disasters. Developed emergency response plans used across the Dallas County food security network.

VOAD Mass Care Emergency Planning 7+ Years
"The mission only succeeds when the operations behind it are built to last."

. Brad Wendling · Founder, Wendling Nonprofit Consulting

Field Stories

Chronicles of Impact

Five moments from 25 years that shaped how I think about operations, leadership, and what it actually takes to serve communities at scale.

Crisis Operations · 2020

Championing Hope in a Pandemic

In 2020, as COVID-19 shut down normal food distribution across Southwest Texas, I came in as Director in the weeks following the initial response to oversee and scale food distributions across Southwest Texas, supervising staff, volunteers, National Guard members, Shiftsmart temporary employees, and AmeriCorps members to reach thousands of families who could no longer come to us. No congregate meals. No in person lines. A vulnerable population that couldn't leave home.

I led 5 specialized teams across 16 counties, built the MEGA distribution model that served up to 2,000 families per event, and inspected 500+ partner nonprofits for compliance, all with zero compliance failures across the entire operation.

The result
Thousands of families fed during the most disruptive operational environment of my career, proof that strong systems don't just survive a crisis, they're what make response possible.
Disaster Response · 2018

Rising from Hurricane Michael's Aftermath

When Hurricane Michael made landfall as a Category 5 storm in 2018, I came in during the weeks that followed as Director to oversee and scale the distribution operations in the hardest hit areas in partnership with Feeding America.

I was instrumental in the execution and supervision of large scale food distributions, directing staff, volunteers, National Guard members, Shiftsmart temporary employees, and AmeriCorps members, drawing on disaster response experience from Hurricane Katrina, I identified warehousing solutions, located operational partner agencies, and built the infrastructure needed for sustained relief in a heavily devastated region.

The result
A functional logistics infrastructure stood up from nothing in one of the most challenging disaster environments I've encountered, built on relationships that existed before the storm hit.
Operational Scale · 2015 to 2016

Building the Largest Provider in Dallas County

When I joined Crossroads Community Services as Director of Operations, I inherited a complex organization serving Dallas County's most vulnerable residents. My mandate: make it run better at scale.

I redesigned warehouse workflows, modernized financial controls and IT systems, achieved 100% compliance across OSHA, AIB, and USDA inspections, and built the operational infrastructure that allowed Crossroads to distribute 11M+ pounds of food annually to 152 community distribution points and 26,000+ clients.

The result
Crossroads became the North Texas Food Bank's single largest food provider, proof that operational investment directly translates to mission impact.
Program Scaling · 2001 to 2015

From One Site to 300: Scaling Child Nutrition Access

When I joined North Texas Food Bank, Kids Cafe was a concept, then I built it into a 28-site operation. Then I turned to the Food 4 Kids backpack program, a pilot, and scaled it to 300 active distribution sites across a 13 county region.

Every site required a replication model, training infrastructure, partner relationships, compliance systems, and data tracking. I built each layer intentionally so the programs could grow without breaking.

The result
Tens of thousands of at risk children gained consistent access to nutrition, sustained by operational infrastructure that outlasted staff turnover, budget cycles, and organizational change.
Community Innovation · 2014

Turning a Liquor Store Into a Community Lifeline

In a South Dallas area marked by food scarcity, I helped transform an abandoned liquor store, through a strategic partnership between North Texas Food Bank and St. Philip's School and Community Center, into Our Community Pantry: a 3,000 square foot grocery store model that gave clients the dignity of choice.

I modeled the concept on successful pantries across the country, designing a system that prioritized not just food access, but healthy eating habits and community engagement.

The result
650+ families served in the first month, nearly double the previous system. Coverage in the Dallas Morning News. A model that redefined dignified food access in the region.
🎓
Academic Credential

Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences (BAAS) in Nonprofit Management. University of North Texas. Formal academic grounding in the sector I've spent 25 years serving.

🚨
Disaster Manager Designation

Formal Disaster Manager designation through the Dallas County Mass Care Task Force. 7+ years as a VOAD member representative. Deployed through Katrina, Hurricane Michael, and COVID-19.

✅
Federal Compliance Record

100% audit compliance across OSHA, AIB, and USDA across every organization I've led. Zero federal disqualifications across a 500+ partner nonprofit network. Zero findings across five concurrent funding streams.

📊
Technology & CRM

Advanced Salesforce CRM expertise. built and implemented real time analytics dashboards for multi site program management. Microsoft 365 and full operational technology stack proficiency.

🤝
Partnership Development

Major corporate partnerships secured with Capital One, Target, and others. 500+ nonprofit partner relationships built and audited. Cross sector stakeholder engagement across government, corporate, and community sectors.

📰
Media Recognition

Featured in the Dallas Morning News for the Our Community Pantry concept. a model that redefined dignified food access in South Dallas and drew national attention from food bank operators across the country.

Work With Brad

Ready to build operations that actually last?

25 years of this work is now available to your organization. part time, embedded, and starting at $3,000/month. No long term lock in. Just an honest conversation about what your organization needs.

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