{"id":14689,"date":"2022-05-25T18:30:29","date_gmt":"2022-05-25T18:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/california\/?p=14689"},"modified":"2025-04-30T17:07:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T17:07:44","slug":"aapi-heritage-month-i-love-what-i-do-and-know-that-i-make-a-difference-each-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/california\/aapi-heritage-month-i-love-what-i-do-and-know-that-i-make-a-difference-each-day\/","title":{"rendered":"AAPI Heritage Month: \u201cI Love What I Do And Know That I Make A Difference Each Day\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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How Garden Grove\u2019s Food Services Director, Agnes Lally is fighting to end child hunger in the OC.\u00a0<\/i><\/h2>

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At No Kid Hungry, we believe all children have dreams for greatness in their futures. That\u2019s why we work to ensure every child gets the food they need to grow up healthy, happy and strong.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

As we celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage\u00a0 (AAPI) Month this May, we want to highlight the contributions and accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders\u2013 both past and present\u2013 and the future dreams of all children.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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At the same time, we must reflect on the real hunger in AAPI communities. These stories are part of a movement that for years has recognized the direct connection between systemic racism and hunger. We hope these stories inspire people to join us as we rally and fight to end child hunger and its disproportionate impact on communities of color.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Right here in California, local organizations, individuals and schools are working hard to nurture strong futures for the children in our communities.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Agnes Lally, Director of Food Services at Garden Grove Unified School District, and her school nutrition team are perfect examples.<\/span><\/p>

Centrally located in Orange County and conveniently located less than one mile from the Disneyland Resort, the city of Garden Grove, is the fifth largest city in the county and home to over 170,000 residents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Before the pandemic, there were nearly 456,000 people at risk of hunger each month. In June 2020, that number quadrupled, according to the Orange County Food Bank. The health and economic challenges of the ongoing pandemic have caused a rise in community food insecurity, leaving families needing access to nutrition services more than ever before.<\/span><\/p>

Mrs. Lally knew the types of challenges that many of her students would face if they went hungry. <\/span>\u201cIt is important for our students to learn and be successful and become model citizens for their future. Having a full tummy, it helps our students to concentrate on their classwork.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>

With over 20 years in school nutrition services, Mrs. Lally is inspired by her mother. <\/span>\u201cMy mom was a very strong woman. She went through war and hunger to [come to] the United States for a better life [for herself] and her girls. She always encouraged all of us to do our best and help those who are in need.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cWe offer a nutritious meal for kids each day and most importantly, at no cost. I want to make sure all of the students in our school district have access to all of our meal programs (breakfast, lunch, supper, and after school snack) and food should not be a worry for them. This is one less worry for our families.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>

To ensure every kid gets three meals a day to grow up healthy, happy and strong, No Kid Hungry engages and convenes numerous stakeholders across schools, community organizations and government agencies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Mrs. Lally has partnered with No Kid Hungry by telling Garden Grove\u2019s story at a Quad County Collaborative (QCC)<\/a> webinar, a virtual convening where school nutrition directors and community partners connect to exchange best practices, support and celebrate each other.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mrs. Lally sharing GGUSD\u2019s best practices and strategies at a Quad County Collaborative Webinar. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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GGUSD Hunger Heroes at Los Amigos High School.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mrs. Lally also supported the No Kid Hungry <\/span>Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Workgroup<\/span><\/a>, offering her ideas and strategies to peers who are transitioning their school meals programs, as California becomes the first state in the nation to implement universal school meals. She recognizes that it takes all of us to do this work. “<\/span>As a team, we made it through together and fed our community with no issues. It was all hands on deck.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>

\u201cWe are very proud of the great work for the future of the Garden Grove community,\u201d <\/span><\/i>Mrs. Lally reflects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Let this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month be a celebration of the strength and resiliency of leaders like Agnes Lally and her team at Garden Grove Unified School District, working tirelessly to ensure that all kids have the food to power their dreams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Read more stories from <\/span>No Kid Hungry<\/span><\/a> staff and other partners from across the United States:<\/span><\/p>