Monica Simons is the founder and director of The End Hunger Challenge Project, which has been in operation for nearly 2 years now. They interview those in the entertainment industry, while raising money to end child hunger in the US.

Tell us a little about yourself and your experience.

My name is Monica Simons. I am a mother of 3 beautiful children, and one amazing Godson. I am the founder and director for a nonprofit organization. We interview those in the entertainment industry, yes celebrities. Our interviews are part on an ongoing project to raise awareness and funds for ending child hunger in the US. 

What drove you to choose your career path?

I have always had desire and a heart for helping others in need. I also have a passion for music, and the entertainment industry as a whole. I could not think of a better way to tie the two together, in an effort to do something life changing for others. 

How did you go about getting your job? What kind of education and experience did you need?

I was part of a national campaign called "Giving Tuesday". On this day organizations from all over, reach out to their respective donors and supporters in an effort to raise funds for their cause. I failed miserably at my personal goal, however I would not let that stop me. In retrospect I created this project overnight, not knowing if it would be successful or welcomed. The response has been overwhelming. 

Little education was needed to begin, however through a very resourceful closed group on Facebook; I began to learn what was allowed and what was not. I learned where to turn to find what I needed, as well as so much more. I have now chosen to finish my college degree with the 1st being a bachelor degree in journalism, and the second being in business administration. 

What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?

The majority of my time has been spent in two very specific areas. 

1) Reaching out to artists and entertainers in hopes of getting a face to face interview. 

2) Trying to come up with creative and catchy ways to secure donations so that we may continue to help kids in need. 

What misconceptions do people often have about your job?

There are a few. For one, there were several comments by others who thought that I was just trying to find a way to go to concerts for free. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Often, depending on how many interviews I have and where they are; I am not able to stay for the entire show due to travel. 

A lot of people see the 5-10 minute interview that is posted, and think that's all I do. "It can't be THAT hard". What they fail to realize is that there is an ever growing team, dedicated to ensuring the success of this organization. We put in many hours of emailing, calling, researching, traveling, brainstorming, and more. All for the 5-10 minute interview you see on the website. 

They also become very surprised when they find out that we are not being paid for this. At all. Zero money in our pockets, in fact our gas and mileage is completely on me. 

What are your average work hours?

I would say that I easily average 40 hours a week, that's on top of my other 40 hour a week job which is the job I count on in order to pay the bills. The hours increase exponentially when there is a multi-day music festival or event that we are on site for. 

What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?

Networking. The kind of networking that helps you get to this point, does NOT happen overnight. I already had contacts in the entertainment industry when I started, which was the biggest help. Without the ability to properly network, I don't think we would be where we are at. 

I would also have to say another tip would be taking advice and constructive criticism with a grain of salt. You really need to have a very thick layer of skin in this business in order to survive. 

What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?

This organization/project is a bit different than others. When you apply for a media or press pass it's typically for print (newspaper, magazine), radio stations, or TV etc. Editorials that are fairly obvious. I some times run into issues when filling them out because this project does not always fit into a specific category, specifically when asked who I am on assignment for. 

Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?

In regards to what I do, if they are needing to enlist our services, that usually means they are an individual or family in need. What I tell others is that we are always accepting volunteers to help, we welcome it. If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so via our website. If you or someone you know is in need of help in regards to food or even being homeless, PLEASE reach out to us. Raising funds and awareness is great, but it does nothing if we are not using to actually help others in need. 

What's the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?

The worst part of my job honestly would be getting a 'no' from a publicist or manager in regards to a requested interview. I put myself in a mindset to sort of ignore it, I halfway accept the no, wait some time and then reach out the them again. If I took every no I was given and never tried again, we would not have nearly the amount of interviews that we have. 

The other worst part of my job, and probably the biggest would be when I am unable to help a family or individual in need. It leaves me with a bad feeling in my gut. You try not to take home their stories or cases (leave them at the door), but with a job like this if often becomes difficult. 

What's the most enjoyable part of the job?

The most enjoyable parts of my job would be the obvious coverage of festivals, shows, etc. Interviewing so many people with amazing stories many of us would never know about. There often is a reason that this project hits home to so many of the entertainers we interview. 

Again, the other enjoyable part is knowing that we ARE making a difference. We are doing what we need to ensure that no child will have to worry about where their next meal comes from. 

What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?

While I realize that there are some very large nonprofits out there, who are making more money than I could ever dream..my goal is not in regards to how much "I" can make. It is more about how much money I can raise, so that I may reach as many children as possible. If one day we get to the point that I would stand to have an income from it, that would be nice but it's not something I am depending on or pushing for. 

It is a much bigger gratification to say that we raised $XX,XXX for kids, which turned into XXX meals. 

How do you move up in your field?

Hard work and dedication, combined with a little bit of who you know (networking). If you are not willing to put in a few sleepless nights and crazy long hours, which often lead to me skipping meals and surviving off of coffee... It will take you a lot longer. That's not to say that you won't make it. If I could get an IV that ran coffee, I would be all over that. 

What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession? 

Know exactly what it is that you're wanting to do. Do a little research in regards to others already in the field. ask them for advice and listen. When you find something that you are passionate about, be prepared to eat sleep live and breathe whatever that is. 

Things like this, often come with sacrifice. Ask yourself, are you willing to make sacrifices?