{"id":11627,"date":"2020-12-08T07:41:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T07:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/texas\/?p=11627"},"modified":"2020-12-16T15:08:28","modified_gmt":"2020-12-16T15:08:28","slug":"2020-in-review-the-year-of-hunger-heroes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/texas\/2020\/12\/08\/2020-in-review-the-year-of-hunger-heroes\/","title":{"rendered":"2020 in Review: The Year of Hunger Heroes"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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It is my honor to\u00a0<\/span>introduce myself<\/span>\u00a0as the Director\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0the No Kid Hungry Texas Campaign. My name is Stacie Sanchez Hare, and it is my privilege to work with you all to end childhood hunger<\/span>\u00a0in our great state<\/span>. I am a proud Native Texan and reside in my hometown<\/span>\u00a0of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>San Antonio.<\/span><\/p>

As w<\/span>hat has been a tremendously difficult year for many Texa<\/span>ns<\/span>\u00a0come<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0close<\/span>, it is a natural time of reflection<\/span>\u00a0and gratitude<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>midst all the challenges<\/span>\u00a0we\u2019ve faced<\/span>\u00a0this year<\/span>, there are stories of hope – among them,\u00a0<\/span>champions that have worked tirelessly to ensure<\/span>\u00a0our children<\/span>\u00a0still<\/span>\u00a0have food in their bellies<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In March<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>No Kid Hungry announced its 2020 School Breakfast Hall of Fame, educators<\/span>\u00a0and administrators from school districts across the country who were nominated by members of their local community for making sure their students start<\/span>\u00a0each day with a\u00a0<\/span>healthy<\/span>\u00a0breakfast. Among them were six Texans<\/a><\/span>\u00a0who even before the pandemic were going above and beyond to ensure kids in their community\u00a0<\/span>ha<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>nutrition,<\/span>\u00a0they need<\/span>\u00a0to reach their full potential. Just nine months later, with the need in our state ha<\/span>ving<\/span> grown exponentially, we are more grateful than ever for these\u00a0<\/span>heroes<\/span>\u00a0and for the many others like them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>

So many school nutrition\u00a0<\/span>staffs<\/span>\u00a0and community organizations worked hard during this pandemic to ensure that hundreds of thousands of kids who rely on school meals would not go hungry wh<\/span>ile<\/span>\u00a0schools were closed. During these unprecedented times, champions emerged, shared their stories, and\u00a0<\/span>found<\/span>\u00a0innovative solutions to new problems. For example, Robert Cuellar, Director of Child Nutrition at Laredo ISD and No Kid Hungry Champion joined Taniya Navak earlier this year<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to talk about the great work happening in Laredo, Texas. Robert and his\u00a0<\/span>staff serve the kids in his community just as if they were his own<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0as do so many Hunger Heroes across the state do.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

Creativity <\/span>was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>abundant<\/span>\u00a0across the state this year as operations had to\u00a0<\/span>be\u00a0<\/span>adapt<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0to changing circumstances.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>In San Antonio,\u00a0<\/span>Southside ISD redeployed their bus drivers from transporting students to transporting meals to kids in the community. The problem? No one was showing up to pick them up. So\u00a0<\/span>Child Nutrition Director Janie Ramirez<\/span>\u00a0got even more innovative, installing a speaker\u00a0<\/span>on\u00a0<\/span>each of\u00a0<\/span>the bus<\/span>es<\/span>\u00a0that played the common melodies of an ice cream truck<\/a><\/span>, prompting kids to come out and get a meal.\u00a0<\/span>Since the change, participation jumped from 800 kids a day to 2,300<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Since the onset of the pandemic, No <\/span>Kid Hungry Texas has mobilized to respond\u00a0<\/span>to unexpected<\/span>\u00a0needs across our state, granting more than $4.5\u00a0<\/span>million to<\/span>\u00a0121 schools and community organizations in every corner of Texas.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Here are just a few examples of the work my team has been proud to support this year through grant funding and technical assistance:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>