No Child in Texas Should Go Hungry
At No Kid Hungry, we are committed to ensuring that every kid has 3 healthy meals a day, 365 days a year.
The Problem
We know hunger is a solvable problem, but every day it impacts children’s ability to learn and grow. Nearly 18% of children in Texas live in food-insecure homes. That phrase may sound mild, but it means that those households don’t have enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life.
We have plenty of food in the United States and federal nutrition programs that work together to provide access to meals and groceries for those facing economic hardship; the problem is that not enough kids and families are able to access them. There are large gaps in the number of kids and families that qualify for benefits and those that are receiving them.
How We Can Help
In collaboration with our partners, No Kid Hungry works to ensure all children have access to the federal nutrition programs in their communities.
Supporting Schools
We work with school districts, providing training, toolkits, and strategic grant funding to launch or enhance existing school meal programs – breakfast, lunch, afterschool, and summer meals.
Building Community Partnerships
We collaborate with community based organizations and support innovative strategies to support afterschool and summer meal programs and connect families to other critical federal nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC.
Advancing Equity
Childhood hunger is the product of longtime systemic inequities. We prioritize support to marginalized communities, seek out and share successful community based solutions, and work to address the root causes of hunger.
Advocating for Kids
We engage with elected and government officials to make sure that ending child hunger is prioritized by decision makers at all levels of government.
Our Team
STACIE SANCHEZ HARE, DIRECTOR
Stacie Sanchez Hare is the Director of No Kid Hungry Texas where she leads a campaign to end child hunger in Texas. She joins us after working at City Year San Antonio as the Managing Director of Impact, overseeing partnerships with schools and community organizations in the San Antonio area. Before returning to Texas in 2017, she lived in New York City for 15 years where she worked in city government and nonprofit roles related to youth development, community engagement, and social justice issues. Stacie earned a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from St. Edward’s University. Stacie serves on the Jolt Texas Initiative Board, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young Latinos in civic engagement. Stacie is based in San Antonio where she was born and raised.
MIA MEDINA, SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER
Mia Medina is the Senior Program Manager for No Kid Hungry Texas where she partners with school districts and community organizations by providing resources, technical assistance and grants that help them strengthen their child nutrition programs. Mia is also the manager of the Texas Rural School District Cohort which focuses on reducing food insecurity in rural communities through community led solutions and peer to peer support. Prior to working at No Kid Hungry, Mia worked in the Medicaid Division of Texas Health and Human Services Commission where she worked collaboratively with the Policy Council for Children and Families to come up with policy changes that could better the lives of families who have children with disabilities. Mia received her Master of Public Administration and Policy from American University, and her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University. Mia continues to further her education through professional development programs such as Leadership Austin’s Emerge program. Mia is the board secretary for Keep Austin Fed, a community nonprofit organization working to reduce hunger and help the environment by connecting surplus food with neighbors in need. She is originally from Big Spring, TX but currently resides in Pflugerville, TX with her husband Mike and their dog Casey.
Contact Mia: mmedina@strength.org
CRUSELVA PEÑA, PROGRAM MANAGER
Cruselva is a native of the Rio Grande Valley and serves as the program manager for No Kid Hungry Texas. She brings 10 years of experience increasing access to social services and empowering underserved communities along the Texas-Mexico border. Prior to joining No Kid Hungry, Cruselva worked with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where she rolled out the implementation of telemedicine services in over 500 schools through the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine program. Her areas of expertise include project management, relationship building, and innovation and creativity. Cruselva received her Master in Public Health from Texas A&M University, and she is currently pursuing a Master in Higher Education Administration from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Cruselva is based in Harlingen, TX. She lives with her husband Irwin and their two beautiful daughters, Miranda and Victoria.
Contact Cruselva: cpena@strength.org
TERESA CONTRERAS-O’REILLY, PROGRAM ASSOSIATE
Teresa Contreras-O’Reilly is the Program Associate for No Kid Hungry Texas. Teresa previously worked for the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs, where she contributed to research efforts related to child care subsidies and early intervention services for the Center’s 2021 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap. Teresa earned her BA in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. She is passionate about innovative solutions to solve food security and mitigate food waste. Teresa is based in Austin, where she was born and raised.
Contact Teresa: toreilly@strength.org
About Share Our Strength
No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. After 25 years of successfully investing in local nonprofits and helping find the best approaches to eradicating poverty and hunger, Share Our Strength launched No Kid Hungry in 2010.
As a child hunger organization, ending childhood hunger is our primary focus, though Share Our Strength continues to invest in and develop other campaigns.
Learn more about Share Our Strength and our other work at ShareOurStrength.org.
