As 2022 draws to a close, we are full of love and appreciation for the big-hearted Virginians working in school cafeterias, food banks, local social services departments, state agencies, elected offices, classrooms, newsrooms, and beyond who every day move us closer to our shared goal of ending childhood hunger.
We are committed to making sure that all our children have the chance to reach their full potential, which means making sure that they have access to three meals a day, every day. This goal is only possible through robust collaboration, innovative public-private partnerships, thoughtful outreach, and dedicated advocacy for policies proven to feed kids and lift families out of poverty.
Read on to learn more about our favorite highlights from 2022:
- January: We partnered with Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney to celebrate the launch of the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, a new initiative that taps the individual and collective leadership of a nonpartisan group of mayors around the country. Mayor Stoney served as the inaugural chair of the Alliance, and he kicked off his term with a reflection in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, co-authored with No Kid Hungry Virginia Director Sarah Steely.
- February: With many emerging opportunities at the state and federal levels, we shared our voice in support of policies that help feed kids and support families. In this story from Virginia Dogwood, we said, “We just want every Virginia kid to live and learn and grow and thrive, and quality nutrition is such an important piece of that.”
- March: Virginia lawmakers Senator Todd Pillion and Delegate Israel O’Quinn introduced a commending resolution to officially note March 7-11, 2022 as National School Breakfast Week (our favorite week of the year!). We traveled to the State Capitol with school nutrition directors Kathy Hicks from Bristol City and Tracy Webster from Wythe County, who were recognized by the General Assembly for their tireless commitment to Virginia’s students.
Pictured above from left to right: Dr. Sandy Curwood, Tracy Webster, Lt. Governor Winsome Sears, Kathy Hicks, and Sarah Steely
- April: We joined Mission: Readiness for a virtual discussion with retired Army generals on the link between food security and national security. With 70% of Virginia’s 17- to 24-year-olds ineligible for military service, in large part due to a lack of physical fitness, the panel spotlighted nutrition programs that play an essential role in preparing young Virginians for success.
- May: To mark National School Lunch Hero Day, No Kid Hungry Virginia asked YOU to nominate school nutrition staff in your communities who exemplify what it means to be a hero. We received nearly 60 nominations and featured the nominees in Virginia’s National School Lunch Hero Hall of Fame.
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- Renee, Hanover County Public Schools
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- Angela, Suffolk Public Schools
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- Margie, Henry County Public Schools
- June: Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the state’s two-year budget, which included $8.2 million to eliminate the cost of reduced-price school meals. This important funding helps approximately 64,500 more students access free school breakfast and lunch!
- July: For many students, summer can be the hungriest time of the year. We promoted opportunities to connect children and families to healthy meals when school is out of session, including the No Kid Hungry texting hotline. In the summer months, text ‘FOOD’ or ‘COMIDA’ to 304-304 to find meal sites near you.
- August: Students returned back to school without pandemic-era nutrition waivers for the first time in two years. Our team worked hard to spread the message about the changes and encourage families to apply for free and reduced-price meals. We partnered with the Virginia Department of Education to generate dozens of media stories, like these hits from Loudoun Now and CBS 6.
- September: We worked alongside the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, the Virginia Department of Social Services, and Virginia’s network of regional Hunger Action Coalitions to organize a series of listening sessions that will inform the 2022-2023 update to the Virginia Roadmap to End Hunger.
- October: At the VDOE Farm to School and Directors Conference in Charlottesville, we got a little “corny” as we presented team-building strategies that help staff feel included and appreciated. We love any opportunity to listen and learn from Virginia’s a-maize-ing network of school nutrition directors. 😉
- November: November marked No Kid Hungry Virginia’s final grant cycle of 2022. This year, we awarded over $1 million in grant funding to nearly 50 school nutrition and community-based organizations across the state! These funds will help ensure children and families have access to nutritious meals and resources 365 days a year.
- December: We joined our Virginia Department of Education partners at a national USDA conference to spotlight Virginia’s expansion of the Community Eligibility Provision, a program that allows eligible schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to all students. In school year 2022-2023, an all-time high of 1,082 public schools offer CEP, reaching 566,733 public school students with access to free meals. An incredible 64% of Virginia’s public school divisions offer CEP at all their schools.
From our team to yours, wishing you a restful winter break. Thank you for your support in 2022. We’ll see you in the new year, when we’ll be eager to partner together to end childhood hunger in Virginia, once and for all.
