In the face of ever-evolving challenges, there are stories of hope – among them, the heroic efforts by educators, school leaders, child nutrition professionals, community organizations, government partners and others.
Champions have banded together across the Golden State and worked tirelessly to ensure kids have the food they need to dream of a brighter and more caring future. There are thousands of examples we could point to, and though we can’t list them all here, our gratitude goes out to each and every hunger hero who worked for kids this year.
Meet some of the heroes who have joined our movement to fight childhood hunger.
6. The Power of Food, Culinary Advocates on Capitol Hill Using Their Voice to Protect and Strengthen SNAP
This spring, fifteen culinary champions from across the country converged onto Congress to advocate on behalf of hungry kids. One Californian who was part of this year’s delegation was Chef Nelson German, executive chef and owner of alaMar Dominican Kitchen & Sobre Mesa in Oakland, CA. Our chefs were on Capitol Hill advocating for a smart SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) policy. Congress has the opportunity to protect and strengthen SNAP in the Farm Bill, a roughly once-every-five-years piece of legislation that governs a wide array of food and farm programs. Research shows that SNAP, also known as CalFresh here in California, is our nation’s most powerful tool to end childhood hunger and poverty. The food provided by SNAP does more than fill a child’s empty stomach – it affects their education as well as their health and well-being. Join Chef Nelson by encouraging your Members of Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP!
7. Raising Awareness and Feeding Kids During The Hungriest Time Of The Year
For kids and teens who rely on school meals, summer can be the hungriest time of year. While summer meal programs are available and free to any kid or teen who needs a healthy meal when school’s out, many families don’t know about them or have the adequate time and resources to get to a summer meal site. In rural areas, it can be difficult for children to access centralized meal sites due to extreme weather conditions, transportation challenges and geographic barriers. Sometimes they may live far from schools and community centers, parents may be at work and unable to bring them to the meal site or must travel in temperatures that can soar up to 125 degrees.
Last year, Congress passed a bill that allows non-congregate summer meal options for rural communities. This is a significant victory for millions of children and families because instead of requiring children to gather in one central location to receive their summer meals, the meals are distributed in a way that allows for children to eat at home. Community groups can deliver meals directly to family homes or parents or caregivers can “grab-and-go” bagged meals to take home. In California, we partnered with school districts and county agencies like the Butte County Office of Education and Needles Unified School District (along the Arizona border) to ensure they had the resources to feed kids in the most remote parts of California. Deep gratitude to our partners on the ground feeding kids during the hungriest time of the year!
8. An Evening with No Kid Hungry, the Return of the Los Angeles Dinner
This year marked the return of the Los Angeles No Kid Hungry Dinner with fourteen of LA’s best tastemakers and culinary talents coming together to raise funds and awareness for No Kid Hungry. The magical evening buzzed with excitement as we honored No Kid Hungry Champions P!nk, Alice Waters, Sherry Yard and Williams-Sonoma. A big thank you to the event chairs and Share Our Strength (the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign) board members Jeanne Newman and Mary Sue Milliken, chef/co-owner of Border Grill Restaurants , plus the chefs, mixologists, restaurant and service staff and volunteers who shared their talents and passion to end child hunger. The LA Dinner hit a milestone for Share Our Strength, raising over $1 Million to help end childhood hunger – that’s 10 Million meals!
9. Meeting Families Where They Are, Meet Some Of The No Kid Hungry Fleet In Action
Food trucks and transport vehicles are crucial tools used to help feed kids. Distributing well-balanced, nutritious meals that include protein, vegetables, fruit and grains, these vehicles remove the barriers that prevent kids and their families from accessing school and summer meals. These are some of our partners who utilize trucks to feed kids and raise awareness.
- Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) – SCUSD offered a curbside, mobile food pantry to SCUSD students and community children at five school sites each week for six consecutive weeks during the summer. With their food truck, SCUSD’s central kitchen and nutrition services served an average of 50 families and distributed 100 to 120 food boxes containing a variety of California grown fruits, vegetables and dry goods. Learn more about one of our Youth Ambassadors who supported SCUSD’s summer nutrition program.
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Kern County (BGCKC) – BGCKC provides healthy meals and snacks to children during out-of-school times, while supporting educational and enrichment programs that keep children learning, engaged and safe when school is not in session. With 68 after school sites across the third largest county in California, BGCKC reaches so a multitude of children locally and in small rural mountain communities in Kern County. One of the organization’s vehicles can transport 1,800 meals to rural communities that can be 35 to 75 miles away from the clubhouse where meals are prepared.
- Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) – In September, we joined LAUSD for the rollout of a brand-new food truck. This food truck–a first for LAUSD–will be traveling across LA schools, increasing food access and boosting school meals and summer meal participation. Serving an additional 400 students at a time, this food truck will provide a fun and exciting part of the day for students.
10. For their Heroic Efforts to Fight Hunger, the League Of Hunger Heroes Welcomes 4th Class
Ensuring kids and teens receive three meals a day takes countless unsung school and community heroes who have stepped up to meet the significance of our mission. This year, No Kid Hungry was honored to recognize school nutrition professionals, educators, custodians, chefs, artists and more. Here are some of the Californians who joined the League of Hunger Heroes this year:
- Azusa USD: Evi Silveria Jimenez, Linda Valdez, Bertha Carmona, Edna Hicks, Laura Davis, and Horacio Trejo
- Coalinga-Huron USD: Sophie Phin-Rizo
- Fullerton School District: Jean Summy
- Fullerton Joint Union HSD: Geri Petersen
- San Bernardino City USD: Dorothy McIntosh, Dr. Janice Gordon, Tamika Casey, and Breanna York
- Rialto USD: Eduardo Jimenez
- Morongo USD: Sally Stevens and Sharon Flores
- Corporate Champion: Williams-Sonoma
- National Champion: P!nk
- Humanitarian Champion: Alice Waters
- Culinary Champion: Sherry Yard
We are so grateful for the tireless work of all our champions, through thick and thin, and their dedication and commitment to our next generation. Please join us in celebrating those mentioned here and all of the champions in our communities fighting childhood hunger. Learn about five more champions here!
When we fill the plates of kids and teens with the meals they need to thrive, we’re opening up a world of possibilities. When you support No Kid Hungry, you’re fueling our nation’s future. Together we can make a difference! Donate today.
Last Reviewed: December 14, 2023