Reflections From the Quad County Collaborative: Three Years of Peer Support and Best Practices

Today, 1 in 7 kids experiences food insecurity in California. Ending child hunger involves much more than getting food to kids. Through the No Kid Hungry campaign, we work with school districts and community organizations, providing grant funding and technical assistance to ensure that more kids have access to three meals a day. We also support and create spaces that bring together child nutrition leaders who are finding the best ways to feed children.

Every day, school nutrition professionals in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties come to work knowing that they are responsible for feeding a student body of over 2.5 million students.

The past three years have created constant and unprecedented challenges for school nutrition services staff. From the early health and safety dangers of the pandemic, to extreme weather conditions, to ever-changing logistics, such as supply chain disruptions, staff shortages, and rising cost of food, school nutrition professionals have had to deal with it all.

To meet the need for peer support and communications at the beginning and throughout the pandemic, school nutrition directors, No Kid Hungry, and public health nutrition leaders from these counties came together to form the School Meals Access Quad County Collaborative (QCC).

After three years of bringing together school nutrition and public health leaders, the QCC has officially concluded its regional quarterly webinar series, an online convening where directors and leaders representing the needs from the four areas can connect to exchange best practices, support and uplift each other.

Through 10 webinars, the QCC brought together guest speakers from schools and organizations across the quad counties to speak on solutions for staff shortages, burn-out, supply chain disruptions, summer meals, Community Eligibility Provision, food recovery, Second Chance Breakfast, inclusivity and partnerships, Kitchen Infrastructure & Training (KIT) Fund strategies, and meal models in back-to-school.

The following are reflections from some of our QCC Steering Committee members and speakers:

“Each training and each speaker has their solutions. The QCC webinars allowed for high levels of collaboration. It’s remarkable how we gave many solutions to many challenges, which enabled us to Serve a greater number of Students.” -Matt Upton, Industry Coach and Chief Encouragement Officer

“It has been my utmost privilege in serving on the QCC with all the superstars. I love how we have been able to spotlight great work throughout Southern California and give school districts the opportunity to share and shine. Although I will be retiring this summer, this will be one of the biggest highlights of my career in Public Health.” -Robin Ronkes MPH, RDN, Public Health Nutritionist, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health

“QCC partnership fostered a sense of solidarity among the participating counties. It showcased the importance of open communication, mutual support, and leveraging each other’s strengths. We learned that by embracing diversity and utilizing the unique perspectives of each partner, we could develop comprehensive strategies to tackle child hunger more effectively.” -Andrea Cuellar, Senior Program Manager with No Kid Hungry

To the 54 speakers who joined us in our webinar series – for sharing your challenges and strengths, providing crucial updates, inspiring and motivating us during those difficult times, and sharing your best tips and tricks. We thank you!

Riverside County

Stephanie Bruce, former Director of Nutrition Services, Palm Springs USD
Tammy White, Director Child Nutrition Services, San Jacinto USD
Eric Holliday, Director of Child Nutrition Services, Alvord USD
Janet Jungnickel, Nutrition Services Director, Hemet USD
Megan Cook, Director, Corona Norco USD
Holly Hungerford Cocking, Director Nutrition Services, Springs Charter Schools
Adleit Asi, Director Nutrition Services, Riverside USD
Daniel Cappello, Director of Nutrition Services, Desert Sands USD
Missy Poirier, Director of Nutrition Services, Jurupa USD
Jesse Gutierrez, former Nutrition Services Supervisor, Palo Verde USD

Orange County

Orlando Griego, Director of Food Services, Anaheim Union High SD
Josh Goddard, Assistant Director, Nutrition Services, Santa Ana USD
Kristin Hilleman, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Capistrano USD
Michael Burns, Nutrition Services Director, Fullerton SD
Asma Chaudhry, CPA, Budget Control Clerk, Fullerton Joint Union High SD
Agnes Lally, Director, Garden Grove USD
Brendan Shields, Director of Food Services, Magnolia School District

San Bernardino County

Lani Izumi, Executive Director of Nutrition Services, Oro Grande SD
Fausat Rahman-Davies, Child Nutrition Lead Agent Rialto USD
Kristina Kraushaar, Child Nutrition Program Innovator Rialto USD
Dr. Betty Crocker, Director of Nutrition Services, Redlands USD
Julie Calderon, Director of Nutrition Services, Adelanto Elementary SD
Rochelle Chavez, Field Supervisor, Adelanto Elementary SD
Sara Maragni, Food and Nutrition Services Director, Ontario-Montclair SD
Trieste Huey, former Director of Food Services, Fontana USD
Rose Stark, Nutrition Services Director, Apple Valley USD
Veronica Calderon, Finance Administrator, Lewis Center for Educational Research
Ksenia Glenn, Director of Nutrition Services, Upland USD
Janet Barth, Director, Nutritional Services, Morongo USD

Los Angeles County

Dr. Robert Lewis, School Day Café CEO, Santa Clarita Valley School Food Service Agency
Lizett Olivares, Director of Nutrition Services, Covina-Valley USD
Liz Powell, Director of Food Services, Pasadena USD
Daryl Hickey, Food and Nutrition Services Director, Pomona USD
Jenny Lee, Director of Nutrition Services, El Monte City SD
Billie Saavedra, Director of Nutrition Services, El Rancho USD
Margaret Renteria, Assistant Director, El Rancho USD
Connie Hernandez, Department Secretary, El Rancho USD
Michelle Quirce, Nutrition Services Director, Eastside Union SD
Monica Dudley-Kimble, Regional Manager, Food Services Division, Los Angeles USD
Dawn Soto, Sr. Training Specialist, Food Services Division, Los Angeles USD
Stella Ndahura, Director of Nutrition Services, Azusa USD

Community Partners

Robin Hernandez, School Meals Access Manager, No Kid Hungry
Daisy Munguia-Piñon, Program Manager, No Kid Hungry
Matt Upton, Industry Coach, Speaking of Success
Gina Osborne, Supervising Public Health Nutritionist, County Nutrition Action Plan of Orange County
Robin Ronkes, Public Health Nutritionist, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health
Jennifer McNeil, Founder, LunchAssist
Fatinah Darwish-Elsherbiny, Program Manager, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Andrea Cuellar, Program Manager, No Kid Hungry
Angeles Nelson, Policy Associate, Nourish California
Andrea Morey, Program Coordinator, Riverside University Health System
Azucena Ortega, Program Supervisor, Feeding America Riverside|San Bernardino (3)
Nancy Thai, County of Orange, Social Services Agency/CalFresh
Cristina De La Rosa, County of Orange, Social Services Agency/CalFresh
Kelly Warner, LA County Department of Public Health
Jared Call, Senior Advocate, Nourish California
Sean Lear, CEO, Goldstar Foods
Ariana Michel, Deputy Director, San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department

No Kid Hungry provides numerous free resources and guidance, webinars and peer-to-peer connections – technical assistance that helps our dedicated school nutrition staff navigate today’s challenges. We invite you to join us in helping end child hunger.

Click here to watch the webinar recordings or read through the presentations.

Last Reviewed: June 22, 2023